HONG
KONG (AP) — Skirmishes broke out Saturday between supporters of the
ongoing protests for democratic reforms in Hong Kong and supporters of
the central government at a shopping mall in the semiautonomous Chinese
territory.
Hundreds of pro-Beijing
demonstrators sang the Chinese national anthem, waved red flags and
chanted slogans at Amoy Plaza in the densely packed Kowloon district.
Opposing protesters quickly gathered there, sparking tensions as the two
camps heckled each other.
The situation
turned chaotic with groups of people trading blows and some using
umbrellas to hit their opponents. Police later moved in to defuse the
situation, with several people detained.
The
clashes amid the mid-autumn festival holiday came after several nights
of peaceful rallies that featured mass singing at shopping malls by
supporters of the months-long pro-democracy protests.
Thousands
of people also carried lanterns with pro-democracy messages in public
areas and formed illuminated human chains on two of the city’s peaks on
Friday night to mark the major Chinese festival.
Protesters
have refused to yield despite the government’s promise to withdraw an
extradition bill that triggered the protests. They have widened their
demands to include direct elections for their leaders and police
accountability.
Many saw the extradition
bill, which would have allowed some Hong Kong suspects to be sent to
mainland China for trial, as an example of Hong Kong’s autonomy eroding
since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
Shops
shuttered at Amoy Plaza after the brawls. The atmosphere remained tense
as pro-democracy protesters slammed police, some who were seen hitting
detainees with batons to subdue them. Local media showed minor scuffles
continuing outside the mall as people left.
In
the northwestern suburb of Tin Shui Wai, several hundred people marched
on the street, carrying pro-democracy posters and waving American
flags, in defiance of a police ban on a rally in the area. Riot police
intercepted them and prevented them from marching to a park.
Some
200 high school students also staged a sit-in Friday at a downtown
public square. Many students have formed human chains outside their
schools as classes resumed two weeks ago after the summer break.
“Many students feel angry and unhappy. Today’s gathering is a platform for us to vent our frustrations,” said Lia Ng, 14.
More
than 1,300 people have been arrested since the protests began in early
June. Clashes have become more violent in recent weeks, with riot police
firing tear gas as protesters vandalized subway stations, set fires and
blocked traffic.
The unrest has further
battered Hong Kong’s economy, which was already reeling from the
U.S.-China trade war. It is also seen as an embarrassment to China’s
ruling Communist Party ahead of Oct. 1 National Day celebrations.
At
a netizens news conference earlier Saturday, activists warned that
violence could escalate if the government continues to turn a deaf ear
to citizens’ demands. They wore face masks to shield their identity for
fear of reprisals from the government.
One
of the activists said it was “natural behavior that people escalate
their ways” if peaceful means failed to elicit any response.
Police
have banned a major rally planned in central Hong Kong on Sunday, but
protesters have vowed to turn up anyway. Some others are also planning
to march to the British Consulate.
___
Associated Press videojournalists Raf Wober and Phoebe Lai contributed to this report.
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