Protester shot, man set on fire in day of Hong Kong fury
Protesters threw petrol bombs at police after a weekend of clashes
HONGKONG: Following a day of violence in which one person was shot by police and another set on fire, Hong Kong’s leader pledged on Monday to “spare no effort” to halt anti-government protests that have wracked the city for more than five months.
The comments by Carrie Lam are likely to fuel speculation that harsher legal and police measures may be in the works.
“I do not want to go into details, but I just want to make it very clear that we will spare no effort in finding ways and means that could end the violence in Hong Kong as soon as possible,” Lam told reporters. Lam also refused to accept the protesters’ demands for political concessions.
“If there is still any wishful thinking that, by escalating violence, the Hong Kong SAR government will yield to pressure to satisfy the so-called political demands, I am making this statement clear and loud here: That will not happen,” Lam said.
“These rioters’ actions have far exceeded their demands, and they are enemies of the people.”
Following Lam’s comments, confrontations between protesters and police continued into the night, with black-clad demonstrators torching at least one vehicle and blocking an intersection in the Mongkok district that has been the scene of many clashes.
China’s ruling Communist Party has also indicated it may try to find a way to enact anti-subversion laws in the territory. Such measures were shelved previously due to public opposition.
In a widely distributed video, a police officer is shown shooing away a group of protesters at an intersection Monday morning, then drawing his gun on a masked protester in a white hooded sweatshirt who approaches him. As the two struggle, another protester in black approaches, at whom the officer points his gun. He then fires at the stomach area of the second protester, who falls to the ground.
In the burning incident in the Ma On Shan neighbourhood, video posted online shows the victim arguing with a group of young people before someone douses him with a liquid and strikes a lighter.