Hong Kong police have detained six men, some with links to triads, following a violent attack on pro-democracy protesters at a subway station that saw dozens injured.
Senior police official Chan Tin-chu (陳天柱) on Monday said the men, aged between 24 and 54, were held for “unlawful assembly” and is being investigated for taking part in the attack late Sunday night at the subway station in the Yuen Long neighborhood.
Some of them are villagers and their occupations range from drivers and hawkers to renovation workers, he said.
Photo: Reuters
“Some of them have triad background,” he said. “I believe that more ... will be detained soon. Police will not condone any form of violence.” ‘
Police are still investigating the motive of the attack, Chan added, without providing further details on the alleged links to the triads, or organized crime.
A gang of men in white T-shirts armed with metal rods and wooden poles beat up the protesters and others inside a subway station at the Yuen Long neighborhood, injuring 45 people, including a man who remained in critical condition.
Police have come under fire for being slow to respond to the violence against the protesters.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam (林鄭月娥) has said police were stretched thin due to the massive crowds and denied accusations that her government colluded with the assailants.
The assault escalated a crisis that had thrown the former British colony into turmoil after millions of people took to the streets in waves of protest against an extradition bill that would send suspects for trial in China.
More than 100,000 people took part in the latest rally earlier on Sunday to demand democracy and an investigation into the use of force by police to disperse crowds at protests.
Some protesters directed their ire at China, pelting its office in Hong Kong with eggs, spray-painted its wall and defaced its emblem Sunday night.
As protesters made their way home, the white-clad men descended on a group of them at the subway station. Videos showed them charging into the trains and beating up people who tried to defend themselves with umbrellas.
Meanwhile, Beijing yesterday said that US officials were behind the violent chaos in Hong Kong and warned against interference.
“We can see that US officials are even behind such incidents,” Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Hua Chunying (華春瑩) said at a regular press briefing.
“So can the officials tell the world what role did they play and what are their aims?” Hua asked.
Asked about criticism of violence by the US and Britain, Hua said China would not tolerate any interference.
“The US should know one thing, that Hong Kong is China’s Hong Kong, and we do not allow any foreign interference,” she said.
“We advise the US to withdraw their black hands,” she said.
US President Donald Trump on Monday said that he believed Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) has acted very responsibly with regard to the protests.
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