A bus driver arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving and possession of an offensive weapon near a protest was released on bail on Monday.

The New World First Bus driver, who appeared tired after 24 hours in detention, was bailed out of the Yau Ma Tei police station. He declined to speak to reporters before leaving in a taxi.

The driver was at the wheel of the 970 bus on Nathan Road in Yau Ma Tei on Sunday at around 4pm, before it was stopped by the police after he allegedly honked the bus horn when driving at a high speed.

Police were searching 40 residents nearby at the same time when the bus was stopped in the middle lane of Nathan Road, before officers went up into the bus to check passengers. The driver, who was wearing a gas mask, was asked to leave the bus by the police.

The police accused the bus driver of honking the bus horn for no reason, affecting the work of its officers and provoking the emotions of people at the scene, which led to the bus being stopped for investigation.

The police later on Sunday posted on Facebook saying that the driver was driving at high speed and close to officers at the scene, before being intercepted. The driver was then arrested for dangerous driving. The police added on Monday morning that the driver was also arrested for possession of an offensive weapon after a spanner was found in his bag.

New World First Bus said it was trying to confirm all of the details of the incident. Thousands of comments supporting the driver have since flooded the company’s Facebook page.

The staff union of the New World First Bus company said on Facebook that it would do its best to assist the driver. Lam Kam-biu, head of the union, said many drivers found the arrest unreasonable as police officers had entered the road without any regard for other traffic. He said a driver honking the bus horn should not be seen as a provocative act.

Lam said the driver had tried to move the bus to avoid hitting the officers, and that the staff union would urge the company to obtain relevant footage as soon as possible to investigate the incident. Lam also explained that many drivers carried a palm-sized spanner to adjust the rear-view mirror.

Lam said his staff union has not joined any voluntary industrial action such as a drive-slow protest, but he urged drivers to drive in accordance with strictest safety standards to prevent arrests.

The Kowloon Motor Bus company reportedly sent its staff to observe the situation on Nathan Road on Sunday. The staff members were told by police officers that they violated rules against social gatherings and warned them to leave, according to the Hong Kong Citizen Media.

Click here for Chinese version

---------------------------------

Apple Daily’s all-new English Edition is now available on the mobile app: bit.ly/2yMMfQE

To download the latest version,

iOS: bit.ly/AD_iOS

Android: bit.ly/AD_android

Or search Appledaily in App Store or Google Play