A senior Hong Kong police officer who has participated in multiple operations combating violence and riots in China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in the past three months thanked the country and compatriots in the mainland for supporting the Hong Kong police on Friday, Mid-Autumn Festival. 

Lau Chak-kei, station sergeant of the Hong Kong Police Tactical Unit, was brought to public attention after he was injured on his face, eyes and foot during a police operation in Kwai Chung, New Territories, on July 30, when surrounded and beaten up by a large number of black-clad mobsters for more than 10 minutes. Recalling the operation on that day, Lau said that he and his colleagues were in the middle of more than 1,000 radical protesters and that some attempted to grab his revolver after he was beaten to the ground. Under that circumstance, he was forced to draw his gun to disperse the rioters. However, some media distorted the fact in their reports, raising controversy among the public."

After that operation, some foreign media took only clips of it, and said it was all our fault. But after seeing the whole video, compatriots on the mainland acknowledged the fact that it was our reaction after being attacked. It was necessary to enforce the law," said Lau during a media interview on the traditional Chinese festival. After the operation, a large number of netizens expressed their support and encouragement to Lau, and drew a caricature of him. Lau said he and his family were touched by the netizens. "I like [that caricature]. My son and my daughter who cannot read Chinese characters said immediately that it was dad after seeing the caricature. I haven't told them that it was me, but they said 'It's dad. You are excellent,' the first time when they saw it. So I like that caricature very much," said Lau, father of two children. 

Lau also expressed his gratitude to the central government and mainland compatriots for their support for Hong Kong police force."I'm touched by 1.4 billion compatriots who support us. It's just like when you are wandering in the desert without water, suddenly someone give you a cup of water. It's [as precious as] dew," said Lau. "I hope the country will continue to be prosperous, thriving and strong, because only in this way, can our Hong Kong residents, our Chinese people, people from any place who share the same blood of Chinese can raise our heads to be real men," he added.