200 odd policemen and at least 6 different police groups mobilised; round-the-clock police protection; road closures and traffic light hold ups for Edison's return to Hong Kong draws disbelief and ridicule
The Hong Kong police ensured round-the-clock police protection upon Hong Kong star Edison Chen's arrival in Hong Kong on Thursday, demonstrating the care taken by the police in ensuring Chen's safety.
On Thursday morning, Edison Chen boarded the 8a.m flight on Philippine Airlines in Manila in the company of two black bodyguards. At 1015am, he arrived at the Hong Kong International Airport. He was received by detectives from the Commercial Crime Bureau once clearing immigrations and was escorted out through a discreet side door. Edison then boarded a silver Mercedes Benz in the company of two Commercial Crime Bureau vehicles. The press caught wind of Edison's arrival in Hong Kong and attempted to follow them but was stopped by police officers on motorcycles who were part of the motorcade involved in bringing Edison to and fro from his Press Conference.
At 11am, Edison Chen arrived at the International Trade and Exhibition Centre in Kowloon Bay where the Hong Kong police had mobilised the Kowloon district shock troops, the Mobile unit, the witness protection group, the commercial criminal case, the traffic police, the criminal investigation team detectives and so on which saw a total of more than 200 policemen providing assistance for Edison's press con. Once Edison's speech was made, more than 80 Mobile-Unit police officers formed a human-chain and encircled Edison's vehicle. Coupled with the big weaponry of the Police officers, questions as to whether the mobilisation of such extreme police resources was really necessary were raised. Upon leaving the centre, the police held up all other vehicular traffic in order to make sure that Edison Chen's entourage can travel unimpeded.
The Benz arrived at the apartment on Magazine Gap Road at 520pm. The police then set up a road block and stopped all cars except those belonging to residents from entering. Further ahead by about 100 meters was another police road block where police officers proclaimed that it was to be a private road inaccessible to the public.
At around 10pm, a police car fleet escorted Edison Chen's vehicle to Four Seasons Hotel. The car fleet went through red lights twice.
Legislators such as Mr Lee Cheuk Yan said that the massive police mobilization was "problematic" and was quoted as saying in Apple Daily that "They don't go to such great lengths to protect even the Chief Executive."
Sources: Mingpao.com and appledaily.atnext.com. Translated by Cocolove
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