HONG KONG (BLOOMBERG) – A new study on the behaviour of Hong Kong’s police force during pro-democracy protests will be published by June, according to one of the foreign experts hired by the city’s police watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC).

Professor Clifford Stott, member of the Independent Expert Panel brought in to advise the watchdog, tweeted Sunday (May 17) that he would be coming out with a report on or before June 9.

The study would include data from the IPCC’s probe of officers’ actions, wrote Prof Stott, a dean for research at Keele University in England.

However, he stressed that his report is an “academic study (and) NOT an ‘alternative'” to the IPCC report.

The study will follow the IPCC’s long-awaited report, which was released on Friday and largely exonerated officers of accusations they used excessive force during protests that rocked the Asian financial hub last year.

The IPCC’s findings may help fuel the fresh wave of demonstrations that has emerged after the coronavirus pandemic had all but halted them.

Protesters called for an independent inquiry during months of often-violent rallies that saw running street battles between demonstrators and police, and clouds of tear gas hanging over parts of the city.

Prof Stott was part of the panel of foreign experts appointed by Hong Kong’s government.

The group withdrew after it “ultimately concluded that a crucial shortfall was evident in the powers, capacity and independent investigative capability of IPCC.”

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