- Title: Hong Kong protesters urge unity, warn police will face 'terrible reckoning'
- Date: 26th August 2019
- Summary: HONG KONG, CHINA (AUGUST 26, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FRONT LINE PROTESTERS CHRIS CHAN (LEFT) AND KELLY WONG (RIGHT) POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS (WESTERN NAMES USED TO HIDE IDENTITY) CHAN LOOKING ON (SOUNDBITE) (English) FRONT LINE PROTESTER, KELLY WONG, SAYING: "In-fighting between citizens has only ever produced one winner, the politicians and the government. In-fighting between protesters will spell the death of the movement. In-fighting between citizens will spell the death of Hong Kong itself. We cannot allow the Hong Kong and Chinese governments to succeed in their divide-and-conquer strategy." VARIOUS MEDIA ATTENDING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) FRONT LINE PROTESTER, KELLY WONG, SAYING: "Many (protesters) were not injured during clashes, but upon and after arrest, when police officers treated them with barbaric and inhumane cruelty within the walls of police stations, beyond the watchful eyes of journalists and CCTV. From those I personally have had contact with, I know of at least ten victims of police violence after arrest. Six suicide victims and three ruptured eyeballs later, all we have one are Carrie Lam's offers to participate in an insincere platform for dialogue." CHAN AND WONG SEATED AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) FRONT LINE PROTESTER, KELLY WONG, SAYING: "To the Hong Kong Police Force, we say this, your warrant cards do not give you dominion over our freedoms. If you continue to abuse us by exploiting your powers, you will soon face a terrible but well-deserved reckoning. Soon, when it is no longer convenient for them to shelter you, this government will not hesitate in deserting you. Retribution will be swift and painful." GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SITTING AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Cantonese) HONG KONG'S SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, JOHN LEE, SAYING: "We had an unlawful and violent acts from such radical protesters and it has been escalated to a very serious level. It is horrible. They are not ordinary protesters, in fact, they have a very severe tendency towards violence. They're rioters." JOURNALISTS SITTING AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Cantonese) HONG KONG'S SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, JOHN LEE, SAYING: "I hope that all citizens would understand that if anybody is to rationalize and agree with such acts of violence would mean that you are encouraging more violence and violence would be escalated and Hong Kong would be pushed to the edge of a very dangerous position." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS
- Embargoed: 9th September 2019 15:55
- Keywords: Hong Kong China protester frontliners government riot
- Location: HONG KONG, CHINA
- City: HONG KONG, CHINA
- Country: Hong Kong
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA001ATUSA4N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Two front-line protesters said on Monday (August 26), that rumours of police infiltration among protesters had led to scenes of panic during recent protests and urged the movement to stay united.
The protesters, who wore medical masks and sunglasses to hide their identities, said the government and police were using a policy of divide and conquer to suppress the city's protesters.
"In-fighting between protesters will spell the death of the movement," said one of the front-line protesters at the news conference at Hong Kong Baptist University.
The protesters also alleged that police had violently assaulted numerous protesters after detention.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong's government officials held a news conference to condemn the violence during the weekend protests, with Secretary for Security John Lee adding that the Chinese-ruled city is going towards a "dangerous position".
(Production: Alexander Solum, Joyce Zhou, Juarawee Kittisilpa) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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