Cops under fire over roadblock

2009-07-14 11:12

Hong Kong - Hong Kong police on Tuesday apologised to civilian drivers who were used to form a roadblock to stop an illegal road race, resulting in a pile-up in which eight people were injured.

The force came under fire after it emerged that officers had asked the drivers of a truck, three taxis and a car to block a road early on Monday morning as three cars raced towards them.

The drivers were reportedly still in their vehicles when the three suspected road racers ploughed into slow-moving vehicles close to the roadblock.

A taxi driver and one of the suspected road racers were among eight people injured in the pile-up that damaged eleven vehicles.

On Tuesday, lawmaker James To criticised police for putting civilians at risk by making them take part in the blockage. He told the Hong Kong Standard newspaper he had telephoned the police chief and demanded a full explanation.

"Fortunately, no taxi or lorry driver suffered serious injuries. But how can the public trust police who are empowered to give orders like this?" he said.

Police spokesperson Ng Ka-shing apologised to drivers whose cars were damaged and admitted there may have been some error in judgement but said officers felt that they had to do something to stop the dangerous use of public roads.

Five people, aged between 23 and 36, were arrested on suspicion of furious driving, a criminal charge relating to the widespread problem of road races in the former British colony. One driver escaped on foot.

Road races are often operated by the notorious triad gangs which run drug and extortion rackets in the city of seven million and are reckoned to be responsible for three percent of all crime.

Last year, Hong Kong police arrested 12,080 people in 372 anti-illegal driving operations.

- SAPA