At least 16 people were injured and 49 were arrested as police and protesters clashed in Sheung Wan on Sunday.
The Hospital Authority said 12 people are in a stable condition, and four have been discharged.
Police arrested demonstrators during the clashes for participating in an unlawful assembly and possessing offensive weapons.
The protest stemmed from a rally in Chater Garden against police brutality.
Police approved the static rally, but rejected the application for a protest march.
However, protesters marched nonetheless, and occupied roads in Causeway Bay and in Sai Wan, near the China Liaison Office.
The police were seen using multiple rounds of tear gas, rubber bullets and sponge grenades to disperse protesters.
Yolanda Yu, senior superintendent of the police public relations branch, said protesters removed railings, from streets, threw bricks, and set fire to items.
From 9:38pm — After multiple rounds of tear gas were fired by police, smoke hangs in the air on the streets of Sheung Wan.
Poor ventilation in the inner streets means that the smoke takes longer to dissipate. #HongKong #antiELABhk #HongKongProtests pic.twitter.com/YxPDkqcjF0
— Hong Kong Free Press (@HongKongFP) July 28, 2019
She also said some protesters set fire to papers on a metal cart and tried to push it towards the police, some used a Y-shaped catapult to shoot metal balls at police, and some threw heavy objects at the police.
“The violence used by protesters has become more and more aggressive,” she said.
“Police severely condemn such behaviour which has obviously deviated from the principle of expressing opinions in a peaceful manner. Police reiterate their determination and capability to bring offenders to justice.”
In one instance, police fired tear gas only to have the smoke blown back their direction. #HongKong #antiELABhk #HongKongProtests pic.twitter.com/msJfP6UC8P
— Hong Kong Free Press (@HongKongFP) July 28, 2019
Yu said the police had no choice but to use tear gas to disperse protesters.
She said arrows were also found at the scene. But she could not confirm if they were used against the police.
She denied a rumour that the police barred firetrucks and ambulances from crossing into protest areas.
🔴HKFP_Live: Police are sweeping through Sheung Wan and making arrests. Protesters have set fires, as police use tear gas to disperse them. https://t.co/07lQ4ZycHP #HongKong #NoToChinaExtradition #china #antiELAB pic.twitter.com/XQUS5XBWZG
— Hong Kong Free Press (@HongKongFP) July 28, 2019
When asked about photos that apparently showed police special tactical unit officers using batons with metal rings attached, Yu said the police will follow up but had no information to provide.
A group of civil servants – who are meant to be politically neutral – are planning to host a rally on Friday, in opposition the government’s treatment of protests.
Beijing’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office will hold a rare press conference at 3pm on Monday on the latest situation in Hong Kong.
MTR strike threat
Meanwhile, more than 1,000 MTR train captains have signed a joint letter criticising the company’s control room as making a mistake during the violent mob attack in Yuen Long last week.
When unknown men in white appeared at the station attacking passers-by on July 21, the control room did not tell train captains to skip the station, but instead told them to open the doors and ask passengers to leave the train, leaving them exposed to the mob.
Calls have spread online for train captains to go on strike on Tuesday if the MTR Corporation does not admit fault and apologise.
Adi Lau, the MTR operations director, sought to explain to staff in a letter that the control room initially did not see any violence on the platform level. He enclosed security camera footage of the platform, but it did not show the scene on the concourse level where the attacks first occurred.
Leung Chi-sing, a district councillor and an MTR train captain who signed the petition, said they did not accept MTRC’s explanation.
