China Daily Global Edition (USA)
Man set on fire as HK rioters escalate violence
Hong Kong on Monday witnessed one of its most horrifying incidents amid protests that began in mid-June, as a masked, blackclad radical protester was caught on camera setting a man on fire on a footbridge.
The protester set the victim wearing a green shirt alight after the man was doused with what is believed to be a flammable liquid, as he was seen quarreling with several other masked radicals in the Ma On Shan area of the New Territories, according to a video of the scene that went viral online.
The victim seemed to be challenging the protesters in the video, asking them if they were aware of their Chinese identities.
He is said to have suffered severe burns and in critical condition in hospital. The attacker is believed to have fled from the scene.
The victim was earlier seen trying to stop a number of protesters from vandalizing a subway station, according to another video.
On Monday, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuetngor stressed that the government of the special administrative region will not yield to the violence of rioters and accede to their demands. The rioters will never succeed, she said.
“If there’s still any wishful thinking that by escalating violence, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government will yield to pressure to satisfy the so-called political demands. I’m making this statement clear and loud here, that will not happen,” Lam said.
She made the remarks at a media briefing, after citywide riots caused dozens of injuries among local residents.
Lam reiterated that violence will not provide any solution to the current problems of Hong Kong. She called on all people in Hong Kong, regardless of their political views,
to agree that the priority was to stop the violence and restore calm in the city as soon as possible.
In a news conference on Monday afternoon, the police confirmed the latest incident and called the setting of an innocent person on fire “inhumane”.
Strongly condemning the brutal act, a police spokesperson called out the perpetrator for “disregarding the life of others for the sake of political stance”.
The case is under investigation by the New Territories South Regional Crime Unit. As of 6 pm Monday, no one had been arrested, according to the police.
Lawyer Kennedy Wong Ying-ho said the incident was “absolutely shocking”, as radicals attacked a local resident who did not engage in any physical conflict with them.
The offender could be charged with attempted murder, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, he said.
Lau Siu-kai, vice-president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, told China Daily that the incident showed how the sentiment-driven radicals, armed with lethal weapons, posed a grave danger to unarmed citizens.
Lau also called for more powerful and effective measures from the police and the government to quell the violence and safeguard public safety.
Hong Kong suffered a fresh round of violent protests on Monday as protesters attacked and vandalized numerous subway stations, university property and other public amenities.
Besides setting fires on the grounds of Hong Kong Polytechnic University, they also vandalized facilities in Hong Kong Baptist University, where they targeted retail outlets such as a Pacific Coffee cafe and a school canteen owned by the Maxim’s Group.
On Monday morning, rioters threw two gasoline bombs into a subway car full of passengers at the Kwai Fong Station. The protesters also hurled gasoline bombs into Tung Chung Station and started fires in Heng On Station.
A total of 25 subways stations had to shut down temporarily and several lines have suspended services, according to a statement from subway operator MTR Corp.
Condemning the illegal acts, the group stressed that the rioters’ conduct were “absolutely unacceptable”, considering the grave threats to the safety of its passengers and employees.