Several police officers speak with the press on Tuesday at the headquarters of the Hong Kong Police Force. Photo: Chen Qingqing/GT

 About 10 Hong Kong police officers, including some of those injured during months-long anti-government protests, have been invited to attend the celebration of 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) on October 1 in Beijing. 

The list includes an anti-riot officer surnamed Lau, who was surrounded and attacked by rioters near the Kwai Chung police station on July 30, a source close to the matter told the Global Times on Wednesday night. 

Lau has become an internet celebrity in the Chinese mainland for his courage and high morale, despite the biased coverage by some Western and Hong Kong media. 

A military parade will be held on October 1 to celebrate the founding the PRC in 1949, and more than 100,000 people will attend the parade and other activities on October 1, according to a press conference held by the State Council Information Office on Thursday in Beijing. 

No additional details have been released concerning who else has been invited to Beijing from the Hong Kong Police Force. However, internet users in the mainland have been cheering on their attendance, with many posting "heroes are always welcome."

"PRC will never forget a hero," an internet user commented on Chinese Twitter-like Weibo. 

 "Will the officer whose finger was cut off by a rioter come too?" asked another netizen. 

A widely circulated video published by major media outlets including the BBC shows Lau pointing the gun at protesters on July 30, for which he was harshly criticized for threatening to use excessive force and pointing a gun at unarmed civilians. 

Western media and some Hong Kong media distorted the narrative on Hong Kong police's law enforcement by criticizing Lau while ignoring the fact that he was surrounded and beaten by violent protesters and his life was in danger before he pointed the gun at protesters. 

Meanwhile, anti-government forces have continued to smear the actions of frontline police officers by accusing them of police brutality.

Despite tremendous pressure, many police officers like Lau have been working hard to maintain social order in Hong Kong.