This time, HK cops beat up protesters
Police assault demonstrators holding banned rally
Blood again stained the platform of a train station where prodemocracy demonstrators were attacked by suspected “triad” gang members on July 21. This time, however, the police were the ones who beat up protesters at the Yuen Long station near the border with mainland China. Demonstrators were decrying the gang’s violence when police armed with batons stormed their ranks.
HONG KONG— Blood again stained the platform of a train station where prodemocracy demonstrators were attacked by suspected “triad” gang members on July 21.
This time, however, the police were the ones who beat up protesters at the Yuen Long station near the border of mainland China.
The border town descended into chaos on Saturday as police battled protesters holding a banned rally against the suspected progovernment gang.
Blood on platform
Riot police used tear gas throughout the afternoon and evening in Yuen Long after tense standoffs with protesters, some of whom were throwing projectiles and had surrounded a police van.
Rubber bullets were fired later in the clashes that ended when riot police baton charged the last remaining demonstrators inside the town’s metro station, leaving pools of blood in the same concourse where the suspected triads had attacked the previous weekend.
Police said 11 arrests were made. Hospital authorities said 24 people were injured, most of whom had been discharged, but two remained in serious condition.
Saturday’s violence compounds the political crisis engulfing the city’s pro-Beijing leadership that is seemingly unable, or unwilling, to end the chaos. It also deepened resentment for the police accused of dragging their feet in responding to the gang attack.
Another rally was planned on Sunday afternoon.
Police allowed a static protest in a park but banned a proposed march through the city, ratcheting up the likelihood of renewed clashes.
Semiautonomous Hong Kong has been plunged into its worst crisis in recent history after millions of demonstrators took to the streets and sporadic violent confrontations erupted between police and pockets of hardcore protesters who first came out against a controversial extradition bill but now also call for wider democratic reforms and a halt to sliding freedoms.