Hong Kong protester shot and man set on fire as violence erupts

Anger grows over student’s death as city enters 23rd week of unrest

HONG KONG — Violence spread across Hong Kong on Monday, as scenes resembling urban warfare gripped the town in the beginning of its 23rd week of political unrest.

A police officer shot one demonstrator during the morning rush-hour, authorities said a man set on fire was in critical condition, and university campuses closed amid clashes between police and protesters as events quickly unfolded throughout the day.

A graphic video circulating online on Monday did actually show a guy being doused with a few kind of fluid being set on fire. While information on the event were ambiguous, the chilling scene brought condemnation that is widespread social media.

The authorities division stated it received a report at 12 53 p.m. that a man was set and attacked aflame on a f tbridge in the satellite town of Ma On Shan. A Hospital Authority spokesperson later confirmed that the man was in critical condition.

Another movie revealed a demonstrator that is black-clad shot at close range by the officer in a road confrontation. A Hospital Authority spokesperson stated the 21-year-old guy was wounded with a real time round of ammo, and police said that the man was not dealing with mortal risk following surgery.

The sh ting marked the 3rd time a protester have been struck with a live round within a conflict with the authorities. On Oct. 1, an 18-year-old additional college pupil ended up being shot in the chest, additionally at close range. He has because been discharged from medical center. Three days later, a 14-year-old child ended up being hit within the leg after an officer started fire during a clash in the New Territories.

Leader Carrie Lam, in an evening news meeting on Monday, condemned just what she described as the violent attacks of «rioters,» stressing that the us government will maybe not satisfy their «political needs.»

» If there is nevertheless any thinking that is wishful by escalating physical violence, [that] the Hong Kong SAR government will yield to force to satisfy their alleged political demands, i’m making this declaration clear and loud right here That will not take place,» she stated, incorporating that violence wasn’t the solution towards the issues facing Hong Kong. «Our concern now being a town is to end the physical violence and to return Hong Kong on track as quickly as possible.»

An additional event captured on video clip, an officer on Monday drove his bike by way of a group of protesters on a street, brushing by a number of and knocking some to your ground. The officer was said by a police spokesperson was indeed attacked having a hammer.

«The officer has been suspended from all duties that are front-line and contains taken leave immediately,» the representative said, incorporating that the case is under investigation

«Continuing this rampage is a situation that is lose-lose Hong Kong,» the representative said. «Everyone is [a] loser. We appeal to every person to please remain rational and calm.»

Meanwhile, a citywide general strike hit the majority of Hong Kong’s universities on Monday, as students blocked transport in and away from campuses, leading university authorities to cancel all classes for the aftern n. Pupils at the University of Hong Kong and Polytechnic University clashed with authorities who arrived in the early morning to clear out the barricades, firing tear gas. Students at HKU tried to halt the police’s advances by throwing stones, while video showed petrol bombs were being tossed by PolyU pupils.

University campuses are strongholds regarding the protests that are anti-government. In line with the Hong Kong Police Force’s Public Relations Branch, 3,001 protesters are arrested since the protests that are large-scale in early June, of which 1,064 are pupils.

Anger on the list of regional pupil body has increased dramatically after college authorities declined to publicly condemn alleged police brutality, combined with the current passage of 22-year-old Chow Tze-lok, students at the Hong Kong University of Science and tech. He passed away on Friday from mind accidents after falling from a parking storage where authorities had fired gas that is tear.

Also on Monday, protesters disrupted the morning commute by blocking https://datingmentor.org/firstmet-review/ roads and crowding rail stations. Many train services were suspended. The developments followed a weekend of peaceful memorials for the pupil and clashes between protesters and authorities at stores across hong kong.

Shares tumbled on as clashes grew increasingly tense monday. The Hang Seng Index fell 2.6% as police used tear fuel to disperse crowds within the city’s high-rise Central business region. Some workplace staff in the certain area and other elements of the town left their workplaces by midday.

The us government issued a declaration on Monday saying that online rumors so it would «announce the suspension of work, classes therefore the stock market under the Emergency Regulations Ordinance,» the colonial-era law that offers the federal government sweeping powers and was used to introduce the anti-mask law on Oct. 4, had been «absolutely not the case.»

The federal government invoked emergency capabilities to introduce the ban on face masks, which protesters have actually utilized to protect by themselves from tear gas as well as to shield their identities.

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority denied rumors it»totally fake and unfounded. so it would spot a limit on daily cash withdrawals from banks, calling» The town’s de facto bank that is central in a declaration «The Hong Kong banking system is robust and sound, with ample liquidity to generally meet the requirements of the public.»

Extra reporting by Eduardo Baptista.