Category: September

The Hong Kong Police Force website has been re-writing history in an apparent attempt “clean up” the ‎Communist Party and pro-China individuals reputations. Words like “communist” have been removed in several places as have details of communists making bombs at school & setting up “struggle committees” during the 1967 communist instigated riots.

Another comment on a trend back then that resembles Hong Kong today has been removed “wealthy businessmen who had blessed the troubles, the “red fat cats” dispatched their children to universities in the much-disparaged United States and Britain”

As have all mentions of “Little Red Book”

Here is the original text from the Internet archive and ‘new’ version of history – deleted parts in bold

Police website text in 2010 – source
This brief flurry was but a rehearsal for the following spring. In China, the political turmoil spread and eventually lashed Hong Kong. Inflamed by rhetoric, fuelled by misplaced ideas of nationalism, huge mobs marched on Government House, waving aloft the Little Red Book and shouting slogans. Ranks of police faced crowds hurling insults, spitting, sometimes throwing acid. Never have strict discipline and stringent training paid such dividends. Staunchly, the thin khaki line held firm. Those early days in May 1967 were the start of a torrid, worrying summer. The mass protests tapered off, to be replaced by a campaign of terror and bombing. Bus and tram drivers were threatened, sometimes attacked if they went to work to keep Hong Kong on the move. Bombs were made in classrooms of left-wing schools and planted indiscriminately on the streets. Struggle committees were formed to foment strife against the government, although it was swiftly apparent none of the leaders to go to China to participate in the nationwide strife that was taking such an appalling toll, and the wealthy businessmen who had blessed the troubles, the “red fat cats” dispatched their children to universities in the much-disparaged United States and Britain.

Through the tear smoke and the terror, the police held firm. They never quavered.

Their loyalty was never in doubt. And in a remarkable show of support, the public rallied to their side. It was the common people of Hong Kong, and the police sworn to protect them, who turned the tide. The insanity gradually ebbed.

But was worse to come. In the most serious single incident of that year of violence, communist militia opened fire from the Chinese side of the border. Five policemen were cut down in the hail of bullets, nine others were injured. They were among a death toll which included bomb disposal officers killed trying to defuse booby-traps in city streets. The entire population was revolted by the bombings, particularly when a seven-year-old girl and her brother, aged two, playing outside their North Point home were killed.

Revived Police Website text
This brief flurry was but a rehearsal for the following spring. In China, the political turmoil spread and eventually lashed Hong Kong. Inflamed by rhetoric, fuelled by misplaced ideas of nationalism, huge mobs marched on Government House. Ranks of police faced crowds hurling insults, spitting, sometimes throwing acid. Never have strict discipline and stringent training paid such dividends. Staunchly, the thin khaki line held firm. In May 1967, the mass protests tapered off, but to be replaced by a campaign of terror and bombing. Bombs were planted indiscriminately on the streets.

Through the tear smoke and the terror, the police held firm. They never quavered. Their loyalty was never in doubt. And in a remarkable show of support, the public rallied to their side. It was the common people of Hong Kong, and the police sworn to protect them, who turned the tide. The insanity gradually ebbed.

But was worse to come. In the most serious single incident of that year of violence, gunmen opened fire from the border area in Sha Tau Kok. Five policemen were shot dead in the hail of bullets, nine others were injured. They were among a death toll which included bomb disposal officers killed trying to defuse booby-traps in city streets. The entire population was revolted by the bombings, particularly when a seven-year-old girl and her brother, aged two, playing outside their North Point home were killed.

UPDATE
As the public increasingly criticises the police for re-writing history on its website, Police Commissioner Steven Lo Wai-chung is reported to have responded that the “streamlined version” is to match modern reading habits as the original version was “too long to fit in the page and people may lose interest in reading it.”

Sources: 本土新聞Local Press, PassionTimes 熱血時報, 蘋果日報, Hong Kong Police Force, Real Hong Kong News, Internet Archive Wayback Machine