On the evening of October 3, layers and layers of people having vastly different views jeered at each other. Working on blocked roads at the same location, Police Constables Ah Man and Ah Wa from Mongkok District closely monitored the situation at the scene with their colleagues.

 

All of a sudden, crowds of people "surged" towards the protesters occupying the roads. Bitter quarrels ensured, followed by jostling. To prevent escalation of this incident, police officers immediate formed a "human chain" to separate both parties, with Ah Man and Ah Wa being part of the "chain".

 

Like their colleagues, Ah Wa did not have any internal security equipments. In face of the emotional crowds, the only thing Ah Wa could do was to separate the confronting parties with her body, hoping they would calm down without shedding of blood.

 

Ah Man was also part of a police "human chain", which was stormed by waves of protesters in a bid to get a "breakthrough" in a police defence line. Realising the possible serious consequences for the two camps of people to barge into each other's area, Ah Man and his colleagues formed a defence line that could hardly be penetrated. 

 

Ah Man and Ah Wa had worked in the "defence line" for five hours without any break, successfully defending numerous jostling and storming. They even used their bodies to protect members of the public from attacks and led them out of harm's way.

 

Upon reflection, Ah Wa commented, "Our human chain was just like being in a sandwich, with crowds surging at us from both sides in an attempt to storm the other party. But all of us, from seniors to the rank-and-file, lined up hand-in-hand, refused to budge, and succeeded in separating them."

 

Said Ah Man, "I can't image what would happen if the opposing parties entered into each other's area. Both the Force and the community did not want to see people get hurt in free-for-all. Therefore, our main job was to separate them."

 

On the same day, Ah Au from Patrol Sub-unit and Ah Chuen from Task Force, Tsuen Wan District, joined other officers in setting up a defence line outside the Office of the Chief Executive (CEO) in a bid to stave off storming by protesters and disruption to government functions.

 

As protesters surrounded the CEO and the Central Government Complex, and refused to give way to transport of supplies to the officers on duty, the two officers worked continuously for 32 hours. They were exhausted and had little to eat or drink.

 

Ah Au recalled, "As time went by, I felt more and more hungry. With little sleep, everyone was very tired, but they still remained unflinching. More unbearable for me was being away from home for days and mum being worried a lot about me. As I had to continue to remain on the frontline, this was not a good feeling for me." 

 

Ah Chuen asked, "I don't understand why people breaking the law laid seige to people upholding the law, and obstructed supply of food and drink as well as change of shift. We were just carrying out the job empowered by law."

 

For Ah Au, the change of shift was unforgettable. "It was a great feeling when officers arrived. We gave each other a loud applause as an encouragement."

 

Finding the well-wished cards, photos, fruit baskets and food from the public on display at Police Headquarters, Ah Au and Ah Chuen knew they were not alone on the frontline.