Hong Kong police expressed their sorrow about the reported plummet of public confidence in them for allegedly using excessive force in dispersing protesters iduring the country's biggest pro-democracy battle in history.

A number of exhausted frontline riot police had explained that though they are saddened by the report, they emphasized that they had to fire tear gas to disperse protesters on late Sunday so as to avoid physical confrontations with the mob.

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Aside from this, the unnamed officers, who requested anonymity from the Ming Pao Daily, stressed that their hands are tied and are only following orders from their higher-ups.

On Monday, Executive Council member Fanny Law had criticized the police officers' use of tear gas during the demonstrations on Sunday, prompting middle and senior officers from the police force to express their disappointment at the council member.

According to Law, police officers should explain their use of excessive force to the Executive Council as the use of tear gas had the opposite effect on protesters.

Instead of being discouraged, more people were incited to join peaceful rallies in expression of their rage about the use of violence against people who were peacefully expressing their opinion through mass demonstrations.

Galvanized by student activists who boycotted their classes to make their pro-democracy stand, thousands of Hong Kongers have joined Monday's early protests.

After trying, and failing, to disperse the crown through the use of tear gas and pepper spray, exhausted police officers later retreated by mid-Monday to allow the demonstrators too "cool off."

However, protests are expected to last until Friday though Operations Assistant Police Commissioner Cheung Tak-keung noted the gradual ease in the mood of demonstrators.

According to Cheung, a number of negotiators were sent to talk to the protesters and convince them not to obstruct traffic in the main roads of the city adding that dialogues will be continued to finally end the longest-running protest in Hong Kong history.

TagsHong Kong, Protest, police, public confidence