Hong Kong police chief condemns ‘rioters’ after extradition bill clashes in Sha Tin leave 22 people in hospital with six in critical or serious condition
- Two people in critical condition in hospital following violence, which leads to arrest of 37 people
- Lawmakers accuse police of taking wrong approach by trying to clear demonstrators from shopping centre
The police commissioner has strongly condemned the violence that broke out in the northern Hong Kong town of Sha Tin on Sunday night, which left 22 people in hospital including six in either critical or serious condition, as of Monday morning.
The force said 20 men and 17 women were arrested during the violent scenes at Sha Tin’s New Town Plaza shopping mall.
The violence followed a Sunday afternoon rally through the centre of the New Territories town attended by tens of thousands.
“The mob lost the run of themselves, and their behaviour was horrendous,” Lo said early on Monday.
But lawmakers and district councils accused the force of deploying the wrong tactics by entering the shopping centre and clearing the site, saying most protesters were trying to leave Sha Tin through the MTR station in New Town Plaza, but were initially blocked by police.
