Hong Kong saw another violent weekend of protests, during which a man was set on fire and a protester was shot by police.
A disturbing video shared online shows the shocking moment a man was set on fire after confronting pro-democracy protesters in the city. In the footage, the man shouts expletives at the protesters and at one point says, “You are all not Chinese?” In response, a nearby protester douses him with a liquid and strikes a lighter.
The man can be seen running and writhing in agony while ablaze. He is reportedly in critical condition.
WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO
A man who confronted pro-democracy protesters clad in black was doused in a flammable liquid and set on fire in Hong Kong. He was shouting expletives towards the protesters before saying “You are all not Chinese?” He’s in hospital in critical condition. pic.twitter.com/X2WTFb9Wet
— Will Ripley (@willripleyCNN) November 11, 2019
Another harrowing video from the weekend features the moment a police officer shot a protester at point-blank range. The widely distributed footage shows a police officer shooing away a handful of protesters and drawing his gun. When a protester approaches him, the officer points his weapon at the man and fires a shot into his stomach, causing him to fall to the ground.
According to police, the protester who was shot underwent surgery, and the Hong Kong hospital authority said he is stable following the procedure after initially being in critical condition. The shooting is reportedly under investigation.
The incident marks the second time a protester has been shot by police during the weeks of unrest in the city. Last month, an 18-year-old was shot in the shoulder as protesters gathered to countermarch a Beijing-controlled celebration of 70 years of Chinese Communist Party power. He was conscious when taken to a hospital, and police expressed regret over the incident.
On Sunday, police also used tear gas as protesters vandalized stores and businesses, whose owners are seen as pro-Beijing, in anti-government demonstrations across Hong Kong. The next day, the city’s leader vowed to “spare no effort” to end the pro-democracy protests that have taken place for over five months.
“I do not want to go into details, but I just want to make it very clear that we will spare no effort in finding ways and means that could end the violence in Hong Kong as soon as possible,” Carrie Lam told reporters.
The demonstrations were initially launched in response to an extradition bill that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China, giving Beijing a tighter grip on the semi-autonomous region. The bill has since been withdrawn, and protesters have demanded an investigation into police conduct, amnesty for protesters who have been arrested, and electoral reforms.
