In Hong Kong Protest, a Warning Shot Rings Out

Police draw weapons amid another day of violence
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Aug 26, 2019 7:29 AM CDT
Amid Hong Kong Unrest, 12-Year-Old Arrested
Policemen pull out their guns after a confrontation with demonstrators during a protest in Hong Kong, Sunday, Aug. 25, 2019.   (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

Hong Kong police used tear gas, drew their guns, and fired a warning shot Sunday after anti-government protesters attacked officers with sticks and rods. The clashes escalated the Chinese city's summer of protests, which shows no sign of subsiding, per the AP. Sunday's main showdown took place on a major drag in the outlying Tsuen Wan district following a protest march that ended in a nearby park. While a large crowd rallied in the park, a group of hard-line protesters took over a main street, strewing bamboo poles on the pavement and lining up orange and white traffic barriers and cones to obstruct police. After hoisting warning flags, police used tear gas and water cannons to try to disperse the crowd. Protesters responded by throwing bricks and gasoline bombs toward the police.

Officers pulled their guns after a group of remaining protesters chased them down a street with sticks and rods, calling them "gangsters." The officers held up their shields to defend themselves as they retreated. Police said that one officer fell to the ground and six drew their pistols after they were surrounded, with one firing the warning shot. Police said they arrested 36 people, including a 12-year-old, for offenses such as unlawful assembly, possession of an offensive weapon, and assaulting police officers. This week isn't expected to see a letup in tension. A major march is planned for Saturday, the fifth anniversary of a Chinese government decision against allowing fully democratic elections in Hong Kong.

(More Hong Kong stories.)

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