Increasing video surveillance can help prevent terrorism
Updated: 2015-12-21 07:55
By Eddy Li(HK Edition)
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The world has been haunted by the fear of terrorism over the past several months, especially following the terrorist attacks in Paris and Los Angeles. While we mourn the victims and celebrate the peace and good fortune we are enjoying in Hong Kong, problems are approaching.
Last Wednesday (Dec 9) night, two masked men set some objects alight and threw them into a bin outside the Legislative Council, which was followed by a small explosion and fire. This scene was recorded by the security camera installed outside LegCo. The police, after investigation, suggest it is highly possible that the incident involved some "nativists". They will decide whether to conduct an arrest operation or not after further investigation.
Although no one was injured in the process, the seriousness of the incident cannot be neglected. This has also reminded me of some news from June, before the LegCo vote on the electoral reform package for the election of the next Chief Executive in 2017 via universal suffrage, when least 10 people from the "National Independent Party" were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to make bombs.
As I have mentioned many times, freedom of expression should not be gained at the price of other people's freedom of security. Violent measures, threats and illegality can only lead to public antipathy.
Hong Kong is a society ruled by law, and people in the city are proud of being able to live in a peaceful and secure environment. Last Wednesday's incident was clearly a challenge to good order, alarming all Hong Kong people that the SAR's security and stability is not immutable. How to prevent violent behavior conducted by both local activists and foreign terrorists has become a common topic among all major cities in the world. As an international financial center receiving more than 50 million people annually, Hong Kong's security is greatly attributed to the good police and customs services. However, we still have to do work harder at for protection and prevention.
To enhance security, I suggest the SAR should install more video surveillance in public areas all over the city.
Its function, first, is as a deterrent to potential criminals. Second, it assists the police in monitoring suspects or suspicious people, reducing the threat of terrorist attacks. Last but not least, even if the crimes cannot be prevented beforehand, police can use the video records as a tool in investigations. This last point has been proved to be effective and efficient in international terrorism investigations - even for the Dec 9 incident, the police would have faced a blank wall if not for the security camera recording.
Issues of privacy, which some worry about, can be sidestepped if the government avoids installing closed-circuit television in places regarded as private, such as in toilets and at private occasions. Safety is the top priority of all people, so I believe most would agree to the security system being reinforced by adding more security cameras, as long as our privacy can remain intact.
(HK Edition 12/21/2015 page10)