Civil unrest in Hong Kong has turned ugly after a pro-Beijing supporter was set on fire today by the protesters
In a latest development in the ongoing civil unrest in Hong Kong, a pro-Beijing supporter was doused in a flammable liquid and set alight, after he argued with the protestors today, i.e., Monday, November 11, 2019.
The incident took place at Ma On Shan subway station in the New Territories. A video of the incident has gone viral on social media.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE
Footage shows a man being torched in a dispute at a footbridge in Ma On Shan. He was taken to Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin for medical treatment pic.twitter.com/wofnDcyrFh
— SCMP Hong Kong (@SCMPHongKong) November 11, 2019
Separately, another person was shot by the Hong Kong Police today morning. Hong Kong Police opened fire and wounded a protestor as things turned ugly. The shooting of the man has also gone viral on Facebook. The footage shows a police officer drawing his weapon in the Eastern District of Sai Wan Ho as he tried to detain a masked man at a road junction that had been blocked by protesters.
The police said that the officer was arresting a protester when another protester ran towards him. The officer pulled his gun, and then shot it, as he believed the protester would snatch his gun which could result in death and casualties.
A third masked man then approached the police who was shot right on chest. He was later admitted to hospital where he was reported to be in critical condition.
Speaking to media, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong – Carrie Lam said, “If there is still any wishful thinking that escalated violence will yield pressure to satisfy the so-called political demands, I am making the statement clear and loud here, that will not happen.”
She further added, “Violence is not going to give us any solution to problems Hong Kong is facing.”
The Hong Kong Police said, “Police has strict guidelines and orders regarding the use of firearms.”
It further said, “All police officers are required to justify their enforcement actions.”
This is the 3rd time when police have shot live bullets at someone. The first-time police opened fire was on October 1, 2019 when People’s Republic of China was celebrating its 70th anniversary. The second time police fired live rounds was on October 4, 2019, hitting a teenager on his leg.
Earlier in the morning, the protesters started disrupting transit as part of a day-long general strike and clashed with police in several locations. In total, the protestors have vandalized or blocked roads in over 120 locations around the city.
Asking people to resort to peaceful means, the Hong Kong Chief Superintendent of Police – Tse Chun-Chung said, “We appeal to everyone to please stay calm and rational. Continuing this rampage is a lose-lose situation for Hong Kong — everyone is a loser.”
As of 4:00 p.m. local time, 64 people have been injured today and have been sent to hospitals for treatment. Of this, 2 are in critical condition, 5 in serious condition and 35 are in stable condition. The remaining 22 have been discharged.
The Monday’s violence follows a weekend of vigils and protests after a 22-year-old student protester – Alex Chow died on Friday, November 8, 2019. Alex Chow had been in hospital since he fell from the ledge of a car park during a police operation.
For almost 6 months now, Hong Kong has been witnessing mass unrest resulting in road blockages, attack on Government buildings and Chinese Embassy, graffiti on Government buildings, violent rallies, disruption in Metro trains, closure of colleges and shopping malls, etc. To counter the protestors, police has resorted to rubber bullets, tea gas and blue-coloured water canon.
For the records, the protests have been triggered by the controversial extradition bill which if implemented, would have allowed China, Taiwan and Macau to place extradition request for suspects accused of criminal wrongdoings. The requests would have then been decided on a case-by-case basis. The Hong Kong Courts would have the right to make the final decision. However, owing to mass unrest, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong – Carrie Lam later announced that the Government has suspended the controversial extradition bill.
