Hong Kong Court Bans Entry To Police Housing Quarters Without Prior Authorization - Gov't

BEIJING (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th October, 2019) Hong Kong court has issued an injunction prohibiting to come to quarters where law enforcers reside without securing a prior authorization amid escalating violence, the Hong Kong government said on Tuesday.

The police have decided to apply for the injunction order, "with a view to upholding public order and ensuring the safety of police officers", over calls on social media for continuing violence, acts of vandalism and storming of quarters where law enforcers and their families reside � Disciplined Services Quarters and Police Married Quarters.

"The Secretary for Justice made an application for the Injunction Order, which was heard and allowed by the Court of First Instance," the Hong Kong government said in a statement.

The injunction order is meant to prevent "entering any part of the quarters without prior authorization", "damaging or defacing any part of the quarters" and "hindering or preventing the passing or repassing of any road or passageway, whether vehicular or pedestrian, in the portion of public roads."

According to the statement, crowds of protesters have repeatedly stormed the quarters since August, causing "harassment and inconvenience" to police officers, endangering their safety and even causing mental distress.

"The level of violence has been escalating in recent weeks. For instance, in the small [early] hours of October 5, six petrol bombs, two paint bombs, two acid bombs and other hard objects were hurled into the Sheung Shui Police Married Quarters," the government recalled.

Sealed copies of the injunction order will be soon published on governmental websites and the police portal, and will also be distributed in the quarters, according to the Hong Kong government.

Hong Kong has been facing rallies against the now-withdrawn controversial extradition bill, supposed to allow extradition to mainland China from the special administrative region, since July. Although the bill has been shelved, rallies have continued and have even turned more violent since the beginning of October, as protesters urge the government to meet their remaining demands, including an independent investigation into alleged police brutality. The demands do not include calls for independence, however.

Beijing has expressed full support for actions of the local authorities, suggesting that the unrest has been triggered by some foreign interference.