HONG KONG, June 26 ― Hong Kong's new police chief called for a fake news law today and blamed the media for plunging trust in his officers in the politically polarised finance hub.
Surveys show the police have been the least popular disciplinary service in the city since Hong Kong was rocked by huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests in 2019, during which allegations of police brutality emerged.“I understand that there are residents who are still hostile against us. In this regard, I told my colleagues that many of these torn relationships and hostility against the police are due to fake news,” Siu said at his first media briefing since taking office.
Hong Kong's demonstrations subsided last year due to mass arrests, the coronavirus pandemic and Beijing's imposition of the security law, which critics argue has been used to curb dissent.