'No Report Of Injured Being Taken Off Ambulances'

The Fire Services Department (FSD) said on Thursday that it has not received any reports of a police officer dragging an injured protester out of an ambulance on June 12, despite reports of such an incident circulating widely on social media.

Details of the alleged incident were being shared on social media after the boss of digital media site 100Most, Roy Tsui, published a letter, he said was from a paramedic, on his Facebook page.

More than 80 people were injured after violent clashes broke out after tens of thousands anti-extradition law protesters laid siege to the area around the government's headquarters and police fired tear gas and rubber bullets after some demonstrators tried to force their way into the Legco complex.

In the letter published by Tsui, a paramedic claimed that although a protester was having breathing problems, a riot officer insisted on taking the youngster away.

The letter said that the policeman told the paramedic not to obstruct police action.

The paramedic also said the police were not treating the protesters as human beings and were trying to maximise the injuries caused.

A FSD spokesman said it is looking into the matter and will follow up with the police if necessary.

The Ambulancemen's Union clarified that when police want to detain or question someone they are assisting, they ask the police to follow them to the hospital.

Tsui later published another letter on his Facebook page which quoted some paramedics as saying they were unable to assist the injured as they were forced to leave the protest sites on June 12 after tear gas enveloped their work stations.

They said they had to shift their positions towards the High Court area, away from the clash site, after the tear gas was fired.