Hong Kong protests: Police arrest 19 people including 'triad' gang members as protest leaders call off government negotiations
Updated 56 minutes ago
Photo: A group of men in masks rough up a man who tried to stop them from removing barricades from a pro-democracy protest area in Causeway Bay. (AFP: Alex Ogle)
Hong Kong police have arrested several people with suspected links to the city's notorious "triad" criminal gangs after a series of attacks on pro-democracy protesters.
Nineteen people have been arrested over the clashes, police said at a press conference early on Saturday.
Police have denied acting in concert with the gangs, after student leaders said police had allowed the triads to attack their protest camps.
The student leaders had earlier called off talks with the government after the angry scuffles at their huge pro-democracy demonstrations, criticising the government and police for not protecting them.
The Hong Kong Federation of Students (HKFS) said it had "no other option but to call off the talks" aimed at bringing an end to days of massive demonstrations.
It said "the government and police today turned a blind eye to violent acts by the triads targeting peaceful Occupy protesters".
The South China Morning Post said Democratic Party chairman Martin Lee addressed the crowd at Admiralty at 11:00pm Hong Kong time.
"It was very ugly in Mong Kok; clearly the anti-Occupy people deliberately caused a scene and created trouble, giving police an excuse," he said.
"Because of the presence of the international press, the police won't use tear gas again to throw the people away, so they use these triad society members to create a scene and threaten the people."
Mr Lee told the crowd the violent scenes in Mong Kok were "Communist tactics" to "use people against people to eliminate those they don't like".
Locals 'fed up', Beijing supporters say
Violent scuffles broke out in one of the territory's most famous and congested shopping districts of Mong Kok on Friday as hundreds of supporters of Chinese rule stormed tents and ripped down banners belonging to pro-democracy protesters, forcing many to retreat.
The area, where notorious triad criminal gangs operate bars, nightclubs and massage parlours, saw about 1,000 Beijing supporters clash with about 100 protesters, spitting and throwing water bottles in a sideshow to the main protest movement.
Beijing supporters shouted at police for failing to clear the demonstrators.
"We are all fed up and our lives are affected," said 42-year-old teacher Victor Ma.
"You don't hold Hong Kong citizens hostage because it's not going to work. That's why the crowd is very angry here."
Another person said: "We are fed up with the closure of the roads. We respect the free expression of opinion [and] the pursuit of universal suffrage but not in this manner. We want law and order."
Police formed a human chain to separate the two groups amid the wail of sirens.
A co-founder of the Occupy Central movement and a law professor at the University of Hong Kong, Benny Tai, urged protesters to leave Mong Kok to ensure safety in the face of the violent attacks and regroup in Admiralty, the main protest site next to Central.
As night fell and news of the confrontation spread, more protesters headed for Mong Kok to reinforce.
Tens of thousands have taken to Hong Kong's streets in the past week to demand full democracy in the former British colony, including a free voting system when they come to choose a new leader in 2017.
Hong Kong leader CY Leung agreed to open talks with pro-democracy protesters but refused to stand down.
He and his Chinese government backers made clear they would not back down in the face of the city's worst unrest in decades.
Reuters
Photo: According to protest organisers, a Hong Kong student wearing a school uniform was beaten up in Mong Kok. (Twitter: @HKFS1958)
* Demonstrators threaten more disruption; demand city leader step down
* Bus loads of police arrive as 'umbrella revolution' demonstrations continue
* Share market falls again as Hong Kong protests continue
* Hong Kong students protest outside consulate in Perth
* Hong Kong police use tear gas on protesters
* Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters clash with police First posted about 8 hours ago
***
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
04102014
___________
Cộng sản Việt Nam là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là ĐỒNG LÕA với TỘI ÁC
No comments:
Post a Comment