Hong Kong police chiefs rush to repair damage over remarks comparing jailed officers to Jews persecuted by Nazis

Hong Kong police chiefs are scrambling to contain the international fallout after two foreign diplomatic missions in the city objected to local officers being compared with Jewish victims of the Holocaust.

The controversy arose during a mass rally on Wednesday night by tens of thousands of serving and former officers and their supporters against the jailing of seven colleagues for assaulting an Occupy activist in 2014. An officer went on stage to declare that police were being victimised like those who suffered at the hands of the Nazis.

The German consulate issued a statement on Friday saying the comparison was “utterly inappropriate”. It echoed a statement by the Israeli consulate on Thursday, calling the reference “inappropriate and regretful” and demanding no further comparisons be made to the Holocaust.

A police source familiar with the matter said the force had decided to arrange meetings with the two consulates, hoping to explain the situation and clear up any misunderstanding.

“We need to stress to them that the comment does not represent the force and we disagree with the comment as well,” the source said. “We have to explain to them the whole situation before the matter gets any worse.”

Another senior police source described the situation as “out of control” and worried that the controversy was embarrassing the force and hurting its image on the international stage.

“The consulates could make a formal complaint to the SAR government,” he said. “This would be very serious and damaging if it happens. It would become a diplomatic issue that the force cannot handle.”