Occupy protesters seek legal advice over 'police abuse' while detained

A group of 30 protesters arrested over the Occupy movement said yesterday they were seeking legal advice over what they allege were improper detention procedures and inhuman treatment at the hands of police.

It comes as the leaders of Hong Kong Shield, a group of more than 50 local cultural figures including Canto-pop singer Denise Ho Wan-see, are set to meet with the police watchdog to express their concerns over allegations of excessive force in handling the protests.

Some protesters, many of them students, sustained wounds after police used batons against their attempt to storm government headquarters last week, said a spokesman for the group, Timothy Lee Ho-yin.

The clashes took place on November 30 and early on December 1 on Lung Wo Road, where officers used batons, pepper spray and a powerful water jet to disperse protesters.

"Many of the protesters were covered in blood after they were arrested," Lee said. "But the police refused to send some of them to hospital for treatment until three hours later."

Some were made to wait hours before gaining permission to go to the washroom, and were given rubbish bags to keep themselves warm at North Point police station, Lee said yesterday.

Repeated requests from those arrested to turn off a large fan in the detention centre where they were held were refused. Lee said "the police officers told them there was no switch to turn the fan off". A few of those arrested were detained for over 24 hours, he said.