Sun Hung Kai Sorry Over New Town Plaza Chaos

The owner of New Town Plaza has apologised to shoppers after clashes between riot police and anti-extradition protesters inside the Sha Tin mall on Sunday.

Sun Hung Kai Properties said in a statement on Wednesday evening that it did not know of the police action in advance, otherwise it would have closed shops and cleared the mall of shoppers.

The company had faced strong criticism from members of the public, who accused it of facilitating the police action. Hundreds of Sha Tin residents crowded into the mall to protest on Tuesday night.

They surrounded a customer service desk and demanded to meet Sun Hung Kai Properties management to demand an explanation. They said video footage appeared to show mall staff showing police into the building

More than 40 people were arrested and almost 30 people were taken to hospital in the violence on Sunday, which followed a largely peaceful anti-extradition march.