People close to the Hong Kong government have been exploring the possibility of launching an independent inquiry into the recent clashes between protesters and police over Hong Kong’s now-abandoned extradition bill, the Post has learned. But a source familiar with the situation said the chance of a government U-turn was slim, with Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor caught between growing public demands for a commission of inquiry and the police force’s strong opposition to it.
A Beijing source closely monitoring developments in Hong Kong said the central government was open to the idea of formally investigating the actions of both protesters and police. But if such a commission was put in place, Beijing would want it to be conducted in a fair and transparent manner, the source said.
