Chinese news agency slams ‘barbaric’ Hong Kong office attack

China’s state-owned Xinhua News ncy has deunced attack on its office in Hong Kong by pro-democracy protesters as “barbaric.” city’s journalists also criticized attack on media organization during Saturday’s melee that marked nearly five months of unrest in Chinese territory. Xinhua in a brief statement strongly condemned “barbaric acts of mobs” that vandalized and set fire to lobby of its Asia-Pacific office building in city.

Hong Kong Journalists Association called for an end to violence against media. Hong Kong riot police fired multiple rounds of tear gas and used a water cann Saturday to break up a rally by thousands of masked protesters demanding meaningful automy after Beijing indicated it could tighten its grip on Chinese territory. It was first strike against official Chinese news ncy in a show of anger against Beijing, a day after ruling Communist Party vowed to tighten grip on violence in city. Police say Sunday over 200 people were detained.