sb.scorecardresearch

Published 10:22 IST, September 22nd 2019

Hong Kong protests: Riot police fires tear gas at protesters

Police forces in the state of Hong Kong have resorted to the means of using tear gas at protesters amid escalating tensions among the police and the protestors.

Reported by: Ruchit Rastogi
Follow: Google News Icon
  • share
Hong Kong
null | Image: self

Police forces in the semi-autonomous state of Hong Kong have resorted to the means of using tear gas at protesters amid escalating tensions that have led to a lot of arrests as protests that were once peaceful have turned violent as the demonstrations entered its 16th week in the city's political emergency.

Confrontations of a violent nature

The protests that were given a green light by the police was attended by more than a thousand people but later witnessed confrontations of a violent nature between the people protesting and the police.

The police started to remove the make-do walls created by the protestors that saw people resorting to using violent measures by throwing petrol bombs that resulted in a few barricades catching fire. 

Also, the police force took to Twitter and said that the demonstrators were in possession of threatening articles such as metal rods, laser guns etc during the altercations that ensued.

Read: Hong Kong Protesters Burn Flag, Police Fire Pepper Spray

The government in Hong Kong released a statement that castigated the protestors for being responsible for causing destruction and being a part of something violent. The government further stated that it would take necessary measures to tackle the ongoing unrest. 

The government in Hong Kong released a statement that criticized the protestors for being responsible for causing destruction and being a part of something violent. The government further stated that it would take necessary measures to tackle the ongoing unrest. 

Scuffles also broke out between the police and protesters near a railway station after demonstrators were accused of shining laser pointers at officers. They used fire hoses to spray water while police retaliated with pepper spray and fired several rounds of sponge bullets at them. The protest initially meant to be a demonstration, couldn't take place due to the restrictions imposed to ensure peace.

Read: Hong Kong Cancels China National Day Fireworks Amid Protests

A wait-and-see game

The environment turned tense by late-night after certain demonstrators wandered out of the mall and set up blockades at main areas in the region bringing traffic to a stop. Police flashed solid lights at protesters, who hurled derogatory comments at officials from a footbridge. The groups and police at that point got into a wait and see game crosswise over different in the zone. A few protestors tossed petroleum bombs at police vehicles before the police charged at them and used teargas in retaliation.

Earlier this month, Hong Kong's leader, Carrie Lam, pulled back the anti-extradition bill that started the protests in the month of June. The protestors had by then transformed into a more extensive and progressively fierce enemy of government as hatred mounted against the police and the administration, which dangers and raising power to manage the angry citizens. If the had been given the green light then it would have sent people to china for criminal proceedings. 

Read: Hong Kong Urges The US To Support Pro-democracy Protests Against China

Read: Hong Kong: Carrie Lam Open For Dialogue With Public To Ease Tensions

Updated 12:48 IST, September 22nd 2019