Accusations by political parties and student associations that the riot in Mong Kok was caused by joint raids carried out by hawker control officers and the Police which lead to clashes with the public are unfounded and misleading, the Government says.
In a statement issued this evening, the Food & Health Bureau noted that, as Secretary for Food & Health Dr Ko Wing-man had explained in detail several times, hawker control officers were conducting general patrols and had not issued any warnings or taken any enforcement action against the hawkers selling cooked food illegally, let alone conducted raids.
They were surrounded, scolded and pushed by more than 50 people, causing injury to an officer. Two cooked food carts were also being pushed towards them.
In view of the clashes and violent acts, and safety concerns over the cooked food stalls containing boiling oil and cooking flames, the officers called for police assistance.
The statement added that media reports on February 10 had quoted hawkers at the site as saying they were not being dispersed by the officers when the clashes occurred.
