Chinese lion statue at Victoria peak, the famous viewpoint and tourist attraction in Hong Kong Photo: VCG

A well-known Hong Kong police officer issued a letter of thanks on social media  on Tuesday, the anniversary of the anti-extradition bill protests, to express his appreciation for all Hong Kong police's sacrifices when facing riots, highlighting their development over the year and the toughness of the current police commissioner.

"June 9, 2019 is a date that Hong Kong residents will never forget. On that day, the continued peace and safety of Hong Kong was broken by rioters," Sergeant Lau Chak-kei said in the letter he posted on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo. 

The rioters continued to move on the wrong road in the past year and they could still turn back today, Lau said. 

In attempting to stop the violence, Hong Kong police officers were hurt in the past year: One was hurt by corrosive liquid and another was cut on the neck by the rioters, according to Lau. 

But at the same time, about 1,000 new officers joined the police force and more people applied to become assistant police, which indicated that there are still many rational people in Hong Kong, Lau stressed.    

Beijing residents pose with Lau Chak-kei, the station sergeant of the Hong Kong Police Tactical Unit, at the Wangfujing shopping street, September 29. Lau has participated in multiple operations combating violence and riots in Hong Kong and is becoming very popular on the Chinese mainland. Photo: China News Service

Lau said he was happy to see Hong Kong police mature so much after one year of dealing with continuous riots. Last year, many police officers appeared to be a little helpless in the face of riots, which they had never experienced, but nowadays, they are already able to nip the riots in the bud.     

He also spoke highly of current Hong Kong Police Commissioner Chris Tang Ping-keung. Tang changed the Hong Kong police's cowardly style and achieved a complete victory in the Hong Kong Polytechnic University incident, which Lau said greatly inspired him. 

Tang was appointed Commissioner of Police of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in November 2019, replacing Lo Wai-chung.

Lau attracted widespread attention for pointing a shotgun at rioters in self-defense outside Kwai Chung police station on July 30, 2019. He has become an influencer on Weibo and had gained more than 1 million followers as of Tuesday.

Global Times