04/11/2019 14:42
Scores injured in chaotic weekend of Hong Kong protests
Scores of people were injured in Hong Kong during a chaotic weekend of anti-government protests, authorities said on Monday, as China called for a tougher stance to end months of unrest in the Asian financial hub.
Riot police stormed several shopping malls packed with families and children on Sunday, following one of the worst days of violence in weeks as police fired tear gas, rubber bullets and a water cannon at crowds of black-clad demonstrators across the island on Saturday.
In one bloody incident in Cityplaza, in the eastern suburb of Taikoo Shing on Sunday, a man with a knife slashed several people and bit off part of a politician’s ear.
The wounded included a man believed to be the knife-wielder, whom protesters had beaten with sticks. Police said they arrested three men involved in the incident, including the suspected 48-year old assailant.
The city’s Hospital Authority told Reuters one person was in a critical condition, with two others serious, among a total of 30 injuries from Sunday.
Twelve police officers were also injured during weekend clashes, with more than 300 people arrested between Friday and Sunday, ranging from 14 to 54 years of age, police said.