A video apparently showing six plainclothes Hong Kong police officers dragging a handcuffed pro-democracy protester into a dark corner then kicking and beating him captivated and enraged many in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory on Wednesday.
The incident threatened to ratchet up tensions anew just as the protests that have paralyzed parts of the city for more than two weeks looked to be running out of steam.
The man was later identified as Ken Tsang, a member of the pro-democracy Civic Party and volunteer social worker who works with street children. Photos released by the pro-democracy Occupy Central movement after Tsang was taken to a nearby hospital showed his face, neck and back covered with dark red bruises. His attorney, Dennis Kwok, said that he was struck repeatedly with an object, and feared he may have internal injuries.
In a statement, the Hong Kong Police expressed concern over the video clip. "Police have already taken immediate actions and will conduct investigation impartially," it said. "The Complaints Against Police Office has already received a relevant complaint and will handle it in accordance with the established procedures in a just and impartial manner."
Secretary for Security Lai Tung-kwok told local media that the officers had been transferred from their current positions, and an internal investigation would be carried out.
In recent days, police have stepped up their efforts to reduce the areas held by the demonstrators, who have been protesting since late September and demanding open nominations of candidates for the city's highest office in 2017. The central government in Beijing has rejected such a framework, insisting that all candidates must be approved by a special committee.
Authorities in Beijing have repeatedly denounced the protesters. A commentary carried by the Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily on Wednesday said the demonstrations were "doomed to fail."
Apparently written before the video surfaced Wednesday, the editorial defended local police, saying they have taken lawful measures against "some people who disrupted social order, disabled traffic and harmed people's livelihoods."
"Facts and history tell us that radical and illegal acts that got their way only result in more severe illegal activities, exacerbating disorder and turmoil," the editorial added.
Mabel Au, director of Amnesty International Hong Kong, said the beating appeared to be a "vicious attack against a detained man who posed no threat to the police." She called for an investigation into the incident and prosecution of "all individuals involved in unlawful acts," adding: "It is stomach-churning to think there are Hong Kong police officers that feel they are above the law."
According to Tsang's lawyer and Amnesty, he was among 45 people arrested before dawn Wednesday as police sought to remove demonstrators who had set up roadblocks by government headquarters in the Admiralty district. Officers scuffled with demonstrators and used pepper spray to disperse protesters from the scene. Local broadcaster TVB captured the footage of Tsang.
Tsang was initially charged with assaulting a police officer; those charges were later changed to unlawful assembly and obstructing officers from carrying out their duties, Amnesty said.
The Hong Kong Police force has in recent decades enjoyed a sterling reputation for professionalism that dates back to the territory's days as a British colony; Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
But since the unprecedented street protests erupted in late September, the force has faced criticism for initially using tear gas against protesters, and allegations of collusion with gang members seeking to intimidate the demonstrators. Outrage over the use of tear gas – an exceptionally rare event in Hong Kong – spurred many Hong Kongers to join the protests.
Leaders of the force have defended their decision to use tear gas, saying they feared the protests might lead to a stampede or a similarly dangerous situation. They have denied any links to criminal gangs.
But with the demonstrations now in their third week, stress has sapped morale among the force, according to Junior Police Officers' Assn. chairman Joe Chan Cho-Kwong.
"We start to be unable to distinguish right and wrong," the police union chief said in an interview with the South China Morning Post.
Silbert is a special correspondent.
Follow @JulieMakLAT for news from China
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