Hundreds of people, including many families with children, demonstrated on Sunday, December 1, in Hong Kong to denounce the use of tear gas by the police, after a rare period of calm in nearly six months of political protest.
Protesters, some holding yellow balloons and placards reading "No tear gas, save our children", crossed the Hong Kong business district towards the headquarters of the local executive.
This day of mobilization comes one week after local elections marked by an overwhelming victory of the pro-democracy camp to which Beijing and the local executive continue to refuse any new concession. Police authorized three rallies for Sunday, issuing a "no objection letter", and urging participants to remain peaceful.
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Protesters are expected to join a march to the US consulate to thank Washington for supporting the protest movement.
More than 12,000 tear gas grenades fired
In the night of Saturday to Sunday, in the popular district of Mong Kog, protesters blocked roads and the police used tear gas three times, for the first time since the November 24 poll. Since the start of the protest movement in June, more than 12,000 tear gas canisters have been fired, police said.
On Sunday, a video circulated on the internet showing a protester brutally assaulting a man trying to clear a barricade. In this filmed sequence, the commentator mocks the victim who stumbles before collapsing after being hit in the head with a heavy object. Blood flows from his wound.
Hong Kong police chief Chris Tang Ping-keung said on Sunday that the attack occurred Saturday night in Mong Kok. "It could have killed him," he said. A police source confirmed that an investigation is underway.
Three people injured during protests
The state of health of the victim is not known. Hospital authorities said three people were taken to hospital Saturday night, after being injured during protests. One came out and the other two are in a stable state.
The pro-democracy movement began in June following the rejection of a bill to allow extradition to mainland China. It has since been suspended, but protesters have expanded their demands.
With AFP and Reuters