The Police today condemned protesters' violent acts outside the Central Government Offices on November 30 and December 1, stressing that officers had used minimal force to stop the violence after issuing warnings.
Police Public Relations Branch Chief Superintendent Steve Hui told a press conference this afternoon that the protesters had deliberately created chaos in an organised, premeditated manner.
He said they had behaved in an extremely provocative way and had deliberately thrown objects at Police such as pepper, helmets, fire extinguishers, water bottles and drink cans.
Mr Hui said officers had repeatedly advised and warned the protesters to stop, but were ignored, so they had no choice but to exercise the minimum level of force which included the use of sprinklers, pepper spray, tear gas and batons.
Police arrested 35 men and five women for possessing offensive weapons, theft, disorderly conduct in a public place and unlawful assembly.
Seventeen police officers were injured.
When asked about the High Court's interim injunction order barring pro-democracy protesters from occupying areas of Admiralty and Central, Mr Hui stressed that the Police respected the court ruling and would fully cooperate with the plaintiff - a listed bus company - and bailiffs in implementing the ruling.
