Health Bureau condemns violent behavior against inspectors

The Health Bureau expressed its strong condemnation in response to the two latest assault cases where its inspection officers were subjected to physical violence while executing their duties last week in the northern district.
On 28th and 29th of last week respectively, two smoking-control inspectors and one trainee from the bureau were sent to the hospital after being assaulted by people who were given fines for smoking within a prohibited area.
On the sidelines of an award ceremony marking  World No Tobacco Day on the weekend, Tang Chi Ho, who heads the Tobacco Prevention and Control Office, told media that since the smoking-control law took effect in 2012, the enforcers have encountered physical violence from those who violated the law. However, local police’s support was usually swiftly responsive.
“We have demanded the PSP provide assistance through our cooperation scheme with them. If attacks really happened, we would contact them first. They were also rather quick in offering support to us,” said Tang.
Other than physical violence, a former tobacco-control inspector told the Times that enforcers often suffered verbal humiliation and refusal to cooperate while performing their duties according to normal procedures.
The authority urged the public to respect smoking-control enforcers and offer cooperation when needed. The government also criticized any violent behavior directed at the inspectors as “intolerable,” reiterating that the assaulters might infringe on the existing laws stipulated in the criminal code.