Top Central Gov't Official in HK Condemns Radical Separatists for Riot

Top Chinese central government official in Hong Kong on Sunday strongly condemned radical separatist forces behind a mob violence in Mong Kok during the Lunar New Year holiday and those sophistries attempting to whitewash the bloody violence. Zhang Xiaoming, Director of the Liaison Office of the China's Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), made the remarks after attending an event to convey Lunar New Year greetings to Hong Kong residents. Zhang said he was shocked and deeply saddened by the riot erupted in Mong Kok on Feb. 9, expressing his sympathy to the police officers and journalists injured in the riot. "We strongly condemn those rioters who maliciously committed beating, smashing, arson and other violent crimes," Zhang said. "We strongly condemn those radical separatists whose behaviors got more and more violent and even showed terror tendencies," the director said. "We strongly condemn those remarks and sophistries that agitate for violence and confuse right and wrong, and even attempt to shift the blame onto other people," Zhang added. The director said he believed the SAR government and its law enforcement organs will handle the riot according to law and prosecute the rioters for their criminal offenses. Zhang said he believed Hong Kong residents hope for peace, stability and prosperity in Hong Kong, and that all share a consensus that Hong Kong should not be overrun by violence, and therefore the Hong Kong residents would not tolerate a tiny minority radicals to destroy Hong Kong's most valuable environment of rule of law. "We also strongly believe that justice will prevail against all sorts of evils," Zhang said. About 300 rioters participated in the riot in early hours on Feb. 9 at Mong Kok, one of Hong Kong's busiest shopping areas following official attempts to remove illegal hawkers from the busy commercial neighbourhood during Lunar New Year celebrations. The rioters attacked the police officers and journalists, smashed police vehicles and committed arson. Nearly 90 police officers as well as four journalists were injured during the riot. As of Saturday, Hong Kong police have arrested more than 60 suspects and 40 of them have been charged with riot.