Violent clashes broke out inside New Town Plaza
Local | 14 Jul 2019 11:02 pm
Violent clashes between the police and protesters broke out inside New Town Plaza in Shatin.
After a peaceful protest against the fugitive bill drew 115,000 people, thousands of protesters stayed behind and occupied streets near the mall.
As riot police advanced on protesters at night, they fled into several shopping malls which are interlinked by bridges.
Police moved into New Town Plaza at around 10pm, and confrontation broke out indoors for the first time since the June protests.
A fight broke out between protesters and several police officers, and at one point a protester hit an officer with a police shield after the officer fell onto the floor.
A policeman had a fingernail torn out in the clash, as blood stain remained on the floor. At least four people have been arrested inside the malls yesterday.
Chan, a 73-year-old man who had been on hunger strike for 11 days in Admiralty to protest against the bill, was seen inside the shopping mall. He knelt down in front of the police to beg them to retreat.
MTR Corp announced at 10.25pm that trains would not stop in Shatin station. Protesters stopped the doors from closing so that their peers may escape.
At 11pm, trains resumed stops in Shatin.
