- Title: Hong Kong medics join protests against perceived police brutality
- Date: 26th October 2019
- Summary: HONG KONG, CHINA (OCTOBER 26, 2019) (REUTERS) PEOPLE SITTING AT CHATER GARDEN, PLACARDS READING (English): "Carrie Lam has been shamefully silent on Police Violence", "HK Police Pay No Respect to Law, Civilian, Mosque, & Journalist", "HK Police ignore acceptance of responsibility and accountability" PLACARD READING (English): "HK Police ignore acceptance of responsibility and accountability" PEOPLE SITTING AT GATHERING PEOPLE HOLDING PLACARDS READING (Chinese): "YOU LET SENIOR OFFICIALS ESCAPE LIABILITIES, HARMING HONG KONG PEOPLE" PEOPLE CLAPPING, BANNERS READING (Chinese): "MEDICAL WORKERS STAND WITH HONG KONG PEOPLE, PROTECT THE PEOPLE" MAN FILMING WITH MOBILE PHONE SIGN READING (Chinese): "FIVE DEMANDS, NO ONE LESS, I WANT UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE" / MAN WITH STICKER ON FOREHEAD PEOPLE SITTING NEXT TO LONG BANNER VARIOUS OF MAN WAVING U.S. FLAG MAN SPEAKING ON STAGE PROTESTERS SITTING AND CLAPPING HANDS PROTESTERS HOLDING PLACARD READING (Chinese): "HUMANITARIAN RESCUE NOW" PROTESTERS GATHERING PROTESTERS' LADY LIBERTY STATUE (SOUNDBITE) (English) 23-YEAR OLD HONG KONG RESIDENT, CELIA LAI, SAYING: "Today, I'm here to support the people, the nurses, doctors, all the helpers in the medical industry who have been supporting all Hongkongers regardless of their political views and, they are strong enough, they're courageous enough to come, step out and to show their stances towards all the people injured no matter what their political view is." LAI HOLDING PLACARD (SOUNDBITE) (Cantonese) 24-YEAR OLD NURSE, CHEUNG GAAM HO, SAYING: "Since June, when the anti-extradition law movement has begun, I have experienced and witnessed how the police has treated the arrestees, those who were not convicted, unfairly in the wards for so many times, exploiting their rights. And I saw them abusing their power and arresting people without reasonable ground outside on the streets. So I think we have the responsibility to expose what the public couldn't see in the ward." CHEUNG LOOKING ON PLACARD READING (Chinese): "YOU LET SENIOR OFFICIALS ESCAPE LIABILITIES, HARMING HONG KONG PEOPLE" VARIOUS PROTESTERS SITTING AND CLAPPING HANDS PROTESTER WEARING PIG MASK VIEW OF GATHERING ONGOING
- Embargoed: 9th November 2019 13:19
- Keywords: Hong Kong China medics doctors medical protest demonstration democracy
- Location: HONG KONG, CHINA
- City: HONG KONG, CHINA
- Country: Hong Kong
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001B2QF2H3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Hundreds of Hong Kong medical workers and other anti-government protesters rallied in the Chinese-ruled city's financial centre on Saturday (October 26), angry at perceived police brutality during more than four months of sometimes violent unrest.
Pro-democracy activists have attacked police with petrol bombs and rocks and shone lasers in their eyes. One officer was slashed in the neck with a knife.
Police have responded with tear gas, water cannon, rubber bullets and occasional live rounds, wounding several protesters, many of whom received treatment from volunteer first aiders at the roadside.
Police deny accusations of brutality, saying they have shown utmost restraint in life-threatening situations and issue warnings to protesters with color-coded signs before they respond with tear gas or baton charges.
Protesters are angry about what they see as creeping Chinese interference in Hong Kong, which Britain returned to China in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula intended to guarantee freedoms that are not enjoyed on the mainland. China denies meddling. It has accused foreign governments, including the United States and Britain, of inciting the unrest.
(Production: Chantha Lach, Dogyun Kim, Yoyo Chow, Juarawee Kittisilpa, Chiara Rodriquez) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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