The Government today strongly condemned rioters for breaching public peace on New Year’s Day.

In a statement, the Government said rioters conducted violent and illegal acts during and after the public procession on Hong Kong Island on January 1.

The procession was generally orderly at the beginning, but rioters took the opportunity to block roads, trash traffic lights, hurl bricks and petrol bombs and set fires.

They also vandalised several banks and shops, endangering people at the scene.

Taking public safety into consideration, Police ended the procession early and used appropriate and minimum force to disperse the rioters and make arrests.

It is worrying that rioters have used peaceful participants of processions as their cover and conducted illegal and violent acts during or after processions, it said.

The Government emphasised it respects the peaceful expression of views by members of the public and appealed to people not to condone violence.

Some people even launched personal attacks and insults against a judge and defaced the High Court during the procession, the Government said, adding Police will take follow-up actions in accordance with the law.

Judicial independence is an essential element of the rule of law as well as the cornerstone of Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability, it said.

The Government pointed out that Hong Kong people respect the courts, judges and judicial proceedings and do not accept that anyone exerts pressure on judges or the courts.

On the waving of flags advocating Hong Kong independence by some rally organisations and participants, the Government strongly condemned such acts, which are against the constitutional order of Hong Kong and the overall interest of society.

“One country, two systems”, “Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong” and a high degree of autonomy are the established basic policies of the People’s Republic of China regarding Hong Kong.

Advocating Hong Kong independence is inconsistent with the constitutional and legal status of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as stipulated in the Basic Law.

Some procession participants also waved flags of foreign countries, the statement noted.

The Government rejects interference by foreign countries in any form in the internal affairs of the city.

It said members of the public should not encourage such countries to do so.

The Government added that it will not turn a blind eye to unconstitutional acts and called on people to treasure Hong Kong’s unique advantages under "one country, two systems" and not do anything that would hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.