The night quiet Hong Kong working-class neighbourhood Wong Tai Sin became a smoking battleground

Residents of Wong Tai Sin joined protesters to vent their anger at police late on Saturday after tear gas was fired in densely packed area to disperse crowds

But police say they were duty bound to go after radical demonstrators who ‘changed their clothes and stirred up trouble’ in the temple district

Reading Time:4 minutes

Residents accused police of bringing conflict to their backyard after tear gas was used to disperse protesters in Wong Tai Sin on Saturday. Photo: Felix Wong

Published: 9:00am, 5 Aug 2019Updated: 9:00am, 6 Aug 2019

Residents of Wong Tai Sin are used to the sight and smell of smoke, but only from the burning of incense at the altars of its famed temple, which, like the district itself, is also named after the Taoist deity whom people pray to for healing.

On Saturday night, the usually quiet working-class neighbourhood was rocked by unprecedented violence, with residents up in arms as their streets became smoking battlegrounds – the fumes this time from tear gas rounds fired by riot police against anti-government protesters as well as angry locals objecting to their presence.

In the middle of the night, police in full riot gear used tear gas, pepper spray and batons to disperse angry crowds outside densely packed residential towers.

Police officers ended up retreating in the face of overwhelming public anger as residents joined protesters, many without protective gear to face tear gas, screaming and cursing at them.

“Wong Tai Sin does not welcome you, go away!” they shouted. “Do you know we have children at home? Leave now! We don’t want you here!”

There were uniquely Hong Kong moments during the violent confrontation, such as when someone extinguished a tear-gas canister using an aluminium dish of the type commonly used to steam fish.