Some Protesters Detained As New Clashes Erupt In Hong Kong - Reports

Сlashes between anti-government protesters and pro-Beijing supporters occurred in Hong Kong on Saturday, local media reported, adding that police have detained a number of people

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th September, 2019) Сlashes between anti-government protesters and pro-Beijing supporters occurred in Hong Kong on Saturday, local media reported, adding that police have detained a number of people.

According to RTHK broadcaster, the conflict initially started between the two groups of protesters in the morning in the Amoy Plaza mall, where several scuffles occurred. A man with a Chinese flag in his hands hit a rival protester. In response, he was attacked with umbrellas, which are a symbol of the pro-democracy movement, by anti-government activists.

The riot police arrived at the scene, blocked the entrance to the mall and detained many people, the broadcaster said. Police officers ordered one of the detainees to kneel facing a wall. The actions of the police officers caused outrage of the crowd. The man with the Chinese flag has not been detained.

One woman was hospitalized as a result of the clashes.

Despite the law enforcement's objections, protesters marched from Tin Sau Road Park to Chung Fu metro station, where they clashed with the police.

Approximately 100 policemen formed a line near Tin Chung Court residential building and were confronted by protesters.

In early September, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced her decision to formally withdraw the controversial extradition bill, which had initially caused mass violent protests in the city in early June and had grown into a full-blown opposition movement.

Pro-democracy protesters demand not only the withdrawal of the controversial initiative, but also Lam's resignation, the retraction of the government's classification of the violent clashes as riots, an independent inquiry into police violence and the release of everyone arrested in the conflict.