Men Dressed Like Protesters Help Make Arrests

A number of demonstrators who were blocking major roads in Causeway Bay were arrested on Sunday night by a group of uniformed police officers with the help of men who were dressed exactly like anti-government protesters.

Like the demonstrators, they were wearing black t-shirts and black masks. However, some of them were filmed holding batons, standing right next to uniformed officers.

One protester told RTHK a group of them were ambushed by these identified men.

“About 20 to 30 masked men wearing black clothes and holding sticks charged towards us from different directions,” he said. “We thought they were triads and started fighting with them. Suddenly, 60 to 70 riot police officers rushed towards us, pushed many people to the ground and arrested them, but I escaped.”

When a group of journalists walked up to ask whether these were undercover officers, a large group of uniformed officers intervened, blocking the reporters from chasing after the masked, black-clad men, and escorted them away.

In the process, they waved their batons at the journalists, and brandished pepper spray at them, without actually using it.

Another group of people dressed in protesters’ garb ignored RTHK reporters who repeatedly asked them to confirm whether they were officers before they boarded a coach.

Live video from the scene showed a number of men dressed as protesters helping police to subdue demonstrators.

At the same time, two men were seen bleeding profusely from head wounds in the area. One was given first aid at an MTR station, leaving behind a pool of blood.

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