New District Councillors Get to Work

Yuen Long District councillors held their first meeting since being elected

Hong Kong's newly-elected district councillors have already started working for their constituents, with those in Yuen Long district setting up a task force to look into the white-shirted men who attacked MTR passengers in Yuen Long station on July 21.

However, the police opted not to attend this meeting, despite being invited, which caused some pro-democracy councillors to accuse the force of having "zero respect" to the council.

They have set up a task force to look into the July 21 attack

"It's ridiculous," said the Democratic Party's Roy Kwong Chun-yu. "The police's absence demonstrates their zero respect -- if not disregard -- for the district council, which formally requested their attendance."

In a written statement, the police said 37 people have been arrested for their roles in the July 21 incident, with seven of those charged with rioting.

"It is not appropriate for us to comment further as the incident has entered judicial proceedings," the force said.

The motion to create the task force was backed by 33 pro-democracy councillors, though rural councillors and pro-establishment members did not vote.  

Democratic Alliance councillor Shek King-ching was at the station when the attack happened. He saw two passengers with head wounds from being attacked by the mob.

Roy Kwong blasted the police for not attending the meeting

"A task force is what voters had asked for," he said. "I hope more citizens will come out and share their experiences so we can reconstruct the truth."

While the pro-establishment rural councillors did not oppose the idea of a task force, they felt the scope of the inquiry should expand beyond the July 21 incident.

"Some citizens have been attacked on the streets, while protesters have also vandalized shops," said councillor Shum Ho-kit. "I hope the task force will also look into the violent incidents in Yuen Long."

But that suggestion was dismissed by the council, which instead passed a motion to call on the government to have an independent inquiry into the police's handling of the protests since last June.

Will Carrie Lam take the district councillors seriously?

Also today other district councils had their first meetings today, including Kwai Tsing, Sham Shui Po, Tuen Mun, Tai Po, Wan Chai North, and Yau Tsim Mong. They all passed motions to press the government to respond to the five core demands of protesters.

Now that residents have representation at the grassroots level, will Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor finally listen to district council grievances? Or do we have to wait until September this year for the legislative council elections to have more weight?