Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam takes to Facebook to reach out to public, while strongly defending police force and questioning ‘puzzling’ calls for its disbandment

She insists that while the government has the responsibility to restore order, Hongkongers will also have to support police and say ‘no’ to lawlessness

More than 11,600 users react to her live session – 9,000 post ‘angry-face’ emojis, 2,000 ‘like’ what she had to say, and 600 express ‘love’

Reading Time:3 minutes

Carrie Lam conducts her second Facebook live session a day after her policy address. Photo: Facebook

Published: 12:42am, 18 Oct 2019Updated: 1:00am, 18 Oct 2019

Hong Kong’s leader put up a strong defence of the city’s beleaguered police force on Thursday, questioning “puzzling” demands by anti-government protesters for its disbandment and saying the protesters would still have to seek its help in times of trouble.

Reaching out to the public in the second Facebook live session of her leadership, and the first in more than a year, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor expressed hope that the violence would end soon and the city would return to normal.

She insisted that while the government had the responsibility to restore order and bring about reconciliation, Hongkongers would also have to support the police and say “no” to lawlessness.

Lam spent an hour on the Facebook live session, responding to internet users’ comments on her governance and her latest policy address.

The chief executive touched on various areas, including housing, land supply, health care, education and security, using social media for the first time since August last year to engage the public.

She was forced to unveil her policy blueprint on Wednesday by way of an unprecedented, pre-recorded video as opposition lawmakers blocked her from presenting it live in the Legislative Council.