A week after the death of a student during a demonstration in Hong Kong, a 70-year-old man died after being wounded by a brick throw during clashes between pro and anti-government protesters, announced Friday, November 15, the hospital where he was being treated.
"The condition of the patient continued to deteriorate, and he died on Thursday night," a spokesman for the Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong said in a statement.
>> Read: Hong Kong condemns "attack" in London against its Secretary of Justice
This death is part of the violence between protesters added to the clashes between police forces and protesters. On Monday, a 57-year-old man was sprayed with flammable liquid by a protester with whom he was quarreling. He then turned into a human torch and is still in critical condition.
More frequent and more violent clashes
With two deaths linked to protests over the past week, violence has risen a notch in the country. For five days, Hong Kong is still paralyzed by protesters pro democracy: roads are blocked, schools are closed and universities are busy. The scenes of violence with the police are, therefore, more and more frequent.
To read: In Hong Kong, protesters paralyze transport
On Friday, a first demonstration broke out during the lunch break in the business district. Employees of the financial sector took to the streets to denounce the police violence and support Hong Kong students who occupy the major universities of the city.
The president of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, herself busy, called the students to leave because, according to him, the university is not a place to fight but to know.
"End violence and chaos"
Facing more violent clashes, Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time, openly and explicitly expressed Thursday on the situation in Hong Kong. He said he was providing his "resolute support" to the Hong Kong government and his police.
"Putting an end to violence and chaos and restoring order is the most urgent task," he added, according to remarks made at a summit in Brasilia and replicated by the People's Daily. official press organ of the Chinese Communist Party.
Some members of the Hong Kong government have called for the recruitment of 5,000 additional police officers as the US Senate prepares to pass a bill on democracy and human rights in Hong Kong that could withdraw the country's status. a privileged business partner.
The semi-autonomous region has been experiencing its worst political crisis for five months since its return in 1997, with almost daily demonstrations and actions.
With AFP and Reuters