- Title: Hong Kong falls into chaos on China's national day
- Date: 1st October 2019
- Summary: PICTURE OF CHINESE PRESIDENT XI JINPING
- Embargoed: 15th October 2019 13:17
- Keywords: tear gas 70th anniversary unrest black-clad protesters China democracy liberty freedom protests police Hong Kong one country two systems
- Location: HONG KONG, CHINA
- City: HONG KONG, CHINA
- Country: Hong Kong
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA003AZ9KCAV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Hong Kong police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at pro-democracy protesters throwing petrol bombs in the Asian financial hub on Tuesday (October 1) as its Chinese rulers celebrated the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic.
Cat-and-mouse clashes spread from the upmarket district of Causeway Bay to the Admiralty area of government offices on Hong Kong island. Violence also escalated across the harbour to Kowloon and beyond to the New Territories in the most widespread unrest in nearly four months.
The South China Morning Post and television reports said at least one person was wounded in the chest by police firing live rounds. Police did not respond to requests for comment but have said they fired live rounds into the air in previous clashes.
Video footage of a police officer firing at a protester at close range went viral, but there was no immediate verification of its authenticity.
Fifteen people were wounded across the territory, one critically, the Hospital Authority said without giving details.
Police fired water cannon and volley after volley of tear gas to disperse protesters throwing Molotov cocktails outside central government offices in the Admiralty area and ordered the evacuation of the Legislative Council building next door.
Police said "rioters" had used corrosive fluid in Tuen Mun in the west of the New Territories, "injuring multiple police officers and reporters". No details were immediately available.
The territory has been tense for weeks, with protests often turning violent, as authorities tried to avoid activists spoiling Beijing's birthday parade at a time when the central government is already grappling with a U.S.-China trade war and a slowing economy.
By the afternoon, police and protesters were involved in standoffs across Hong Kong, with the streets littered with tear gas canisters and other debris.
(Production: Joseph Campbell, Mark Chisolm, Xihao Jiang, Joyce Zhou, Sophia Soo) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: Footage contains photographs or artwork. User is responsible for obtaining additional clearances before publishing this clip.