The Secrectary for Security, Mr Cheong Kuok Va, maintained today that the police had taken appropriate measures to maintain public order during a protest march on 1 May. He said that internal investigations and reviews had been commenced to enhance the handling of demonstration in the future. Mr Cheong was speaking at a plenary meeting of the Legislative Assembly today, to answer questions from legislators. He said the police had decided the route of the protest march based on the consideration of its effect on law-abiding residents and visitors, as the demonstration was to take place on the first day of the labour day Golden Week holiday, when a great number of visitors were expected in Macao. But the demonstrators deviated from the agreed route and had begun to charge the police defence line during their march. Considering that the demonstration had steered away from the original objective, which was to peacefully express appeals, the police decided to call an end to the demonstration at 16:45 on that day. But demonstrators continued to charge the police’s defence line so police had to take action to disperse the crowds and order was restored at 19:51 that day. Regarding the incident whereby an officer fired warning shots into the air, Mr Cheong said the shooting was neither a means to suppress the demonstration nor was it based on an order made by a senior police official. He said the shooting was an on-the-spot judgment of the situation made by the officer to prevent demonstrators from trampling on one another, as some people at the front of the crowd had started to fall at the time. An internal investigation had begun into the incident, including a review of how demonstrations would be handled in the future, he said.
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