Press freedom is not freedom of fake news: police commissioner

Police respect the freedom of the press, but not the freedom of fake news, police commissioner Raymond Siu Chak-yee said.

On a radio program on Sunday morning, Siu said he has been working in the police for 32 years and has come across many professional and experienced media professionals. 

"Fake news is not unintentional mistakes or sharing without malice, but a deliberate attempt to mislead the public by deception,” he said. 

“Freedom is based on the rule of law... one who does not respect the rule of law is not qualified to talk about freedom," he said. 

The police have banned public protests and assemblies citing health concerns during the pandemic. 

Asked if it will become the new norm that there will be no more rallies in Hong Kong, Siu said that the Basic Law stipulates that Hong Kong people can enjoy the freedom of association and assembly, but they cannot abuse the freedom.

"There is no absolute freedom. No freedom can override the law," Siu said.

He added that he respects the public's freedom to express their views, but criticized that in the past there were many people who violated the law in the name of peaceful demonstrations.

He said some politicians made use of protests for their personal gains, that they “walked to the front of the protest, took photos of the banner and left.”

Hong Kong reported more than 30,000 crime cases in the first half of this year, 4.6 percent lower than the same period last year. Cases related to unrest dropped by a range of 10 to 45 percent. 

Siu said that although the overall situation in Hong Kong is stable, authorities have to pay attention to criminals going underground. He said there was a lone-wolf terrorist attack on July 1 this year, and 14 people were arrested from the radical group Returning Valiant.