Hong Kong ‘thugs’ attack protesters

HONG KONG
Chaos erupted in central Hong Kong on Monday as dozens of masked men rushed barricades at the city’s main pro-democracy site, sparking renewed accusations that authorities are using hired thugs to disperse demonstrators.

Groups of men, many wearing surgical masks, descended on the front lines of the rally at Admiralty near Hong Kong’s central business district, triggering clashes with protesters, just hours after police had moved in to take down some barriers.

Demonstrators, who have come under attack from organised crime gangs known as triads at another flashpoint demonstration site in Mongkok, shouted: “Weapons! Weapons!” and “Arrest the triads” as police struggled to impose order.

Pro-democracy lawmakers rounded on the authorities over the clashes.

“This is one of the tactics used by the communists in mainland China from time to time. They use triads or pro-government mobs to try to attack you so the government will not have to assume responsibility,” Democratic Party lawmaker Albert Ho told AFP.

“It seems that the police have duly removed some of the barricades to make way for the suspected triads to get through to the peaceful protesters,” Civic Party lawmaker Claudia Mo told AFP.

One lawmaker on the scene of the clashes in Admiralty voiced concern over how the situation had “degenerated”. “From what I can see the police were helping the anti-Occupy actions more than the peaceful protesters,” said the Civic Party’s Kenneth Chan.

Taxi drivers had also converged on the site with their cars, demanding the barricades be removed and other anti-Occupy groups chanted “Occupy is illegal”.

China has in recent weeks held around 40 people on the mainland who had expressed support for the protests in Hong Kong.