Unauthorized rally turns radical in Hong Kong

The protesters were taking part in a march – from Shui Pin Tsuen Playground to Yuen Long MTR station – which was banned by the police on Thursday on safety concerns. An appeal board upheld the police’s decision on Friday, on the grounds that it poses the risk of violent clashes between protesters and villagers in the district.

Tension escalated at around 4.30 pm as protesters pulled down metal barriers in front of Nam Pin Wai village near the Yuen Long railway station and charged at the police cordon lines.

The black-clad protesters, armed with iron bars and self-made shields, chanted anti-government slogans at times. Most of them wore surgical masks to hide their identity from the police.

Some protesters besieged and vandalized a police vehicle, forcing riot police to fire tear gas to disperse the crowd.

The police said in a statement that the dispersal operation was needed as protesters' behaviors threatened the safety of the police officers in the vehicle. 

The report room service at Yuen Long police station was once suspended after a large group of protesters besieged the station. 

 

 

At the same time, radical protesters at multiple locations near Yuen Long MTR station started to throw bricks, bottles, stools and other unidentified objects at the cordon lines of the riot police. The police have fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowds.

Some protesters besieged and vandalized a police vehicle, forcing riot police to fire tear gas to disperse the crowd

As of 9 pm, nine people were admitted to Pok Oi Hospital for treatment, five in serious condition, according to the Hospital Authority.

Saturday’s procession was staged on the back of violent attacks on commuters on the train and at Yuen Long station on Sunday, which sparked anger by those who saw it as an inadequate police response. 

Traffic was disrupted from around 3 pm as protesters occupied Yuen Long Tai Yuk Road and Castle Peak Road to kick-started the unauthorized procession.

 

The Light Transit Rail and some buses were forced to skip stops near Yuen Long Plaza.

In view of the possible chaos in the area, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced the early closure of some of its facilities such as swimming pool and stadium in Yuen Long on Saturday. 

Businesses were also affected, as most shops in the area have to shut doors by early Saturday afternoon because of the unauthorized rally. 

The city’s Chief Secretary for Administration Matthew Cheung Kin-chung on Friday called on people to express their views in a peaceful manner.

He added that people who participate in unauthorized rallies faced the risk of being arrested for illegal assembly, an offense punishable by a fine of HK$5,000 ($640) and up to five years in prison.