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The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (July 11) called on people not to resort to violence against public officers.
This followed a recent court case in which an illegal hawker was sentenced to nine weeksĄŻ imprisonment for assaulting public officers and obstructing them in the execution of their duties.
The hawker was also fined a total of $1,800 for hawking without a licence and causing obstruction in a public place.
The incident took place on February 2 when department officers were taking action against illegal hawking in Kwai Chung, a department spokesman said.
In the same case, a man and a woman were also sentenced to four weeksĄŻ imprisonment for obstructing public officers, with the womanĄŻs sentence being suspended for 15 months.
"Use of force against public officers is not only wrong, but also carries serious legal consequences," the spokesman warned.
"People should co-operate with law enforcement officers in the execution of their duties."
Ends/Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Issued at HKT 15:07
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