Fires, Tear Gas Mark Another Night Of Chaos

Riot police had cleared most of the demonstrators from several districts in Kowloon by around 2am Tuesday, following another night of violent clashes.

Demonstrators had ripped up paving stones and fences to make makeshift barricades across main roads. Officers retaliated to petrol bombs and bricks with tear gas and rubber bullets.

In a now-familiar pattern, protesters repeatedly taunted police, only to retreat or disperse when a charge looked imminent.

Earlier on Monday the protesters targetted police stations and staff quarters in Mong Kok, Sham Shui Po, Shatin, Tin Shui Wai, Tuen Mun, and Wan Chai.

The black-clad protesters attacked the buildings with bricks, defaced them with graffiti, and in many cases started fires outside the gates.

At least 24 people went to hospital with protest-related injuries, including one man who was seriously hurt.

Video circulating online showed what appears to be petrol bombs being thrown into a police station, setting the hood of at least one police car on fire.

Police have condemned the “violent acts” by protesters, saying they are posing a serious threat to the safety of road users by blocking roads across the city and setting fire to miscellaneous objects.

Earlier on Monday, the Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, made her only her second press briefing in the past two weeks of unrest. She said Hong Kong is no longer a safe city, and that violent protesters are not challenging the controversial extradition bill, but the nation’s sovereignty and the One Country, Two Systems principle.

However politicians from both sides of the divide said her constant criticism of the protesters does little to reduce tensions, and ways for more communication are needed with the youngsters.

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