Hong Kong protesters injured in drive-by firework attack from private vehicle after clashes outside police stations
- Demonstrators attacked as they vented anger over Lennon Wall arrests and riot charges, the first of their kind since extradition bill crisis erupted in June
- Protesters gathered at stations in Kwai Chung and Tin Shui Wai as emotions ran high
Six people were injured when fireworks were let off at a crowd gathered outside a Hong Kong police station on Wednesday morning, in an escalation of violence that has shocked the city.
At Kwai Chung Police Station, officers used pepper spray on protesters and a sergeant emerged with a Remington shotgun, thought to be loaded with beanbag rounds, in an attempt to clear the crowd waiting for 44 suspects charged with rioting to be released on bail ahead of Wednesday’s court appearances. It was the first such charges in two months of unrest.
Tensions also flared at Tin Shui Wai Police Station, where another crowd gathered after two people were arrested at a nearby “Lennon Wall”, on which protesters had posted messages denouncing the government’s now-abandoned bill.
At about 2.30am, a vehicle drove past Tin Shui Wai Police Station and let off several fireworks at the crowd, sending people screaming and running for cover. The incident resulted in six injured.
A witness told RTHK he was covered in firework residue, adding: “The second or third round exploded near me.”
