Six people arrested over the Yuen Long Attack and violence against pro-democracy protesters
Those arrested might have triad connections. The MTR station attack left 50 people injured. Activists accuse the police of collusion with organised crime. The investigation continues but pro-democracy advocates slam the police as tools of repression. The government tries to drop charges against a policeman who shot at a pro-democracy protester.
Hong Kong (AsiaNews) - The police yesterday arrested six people in connection with a mob attack in Yuen Long last year during protests in favour of democracy and against a proposed extradition bill.
This brings the total number of people detained to 43. The police have kept their identity confidential, but according to press reports those arrested have triad and organised crime links.
On 21 July 2019, a group of thugs attacked anti-extradition protesters and unsuspecting passengers at a Mass Transit Railway (MTR) station near the border with China.
Clad in white (to distinguish themselves from the black clothing worn by protesters), the hooligans armed with iron bars, sticks and other offensive weapons lashed out violently against people, causing injuries to 50.
Although called right away, the police took 35 minutes to arrive because, according to activists, they were in league with the thugs in order to violently break the pro-democracy movement.
The victims of the attack also accuse the police of taking their time before making arrests. The authorities have justified the delay with the need to sift through a large body of evidence, and with the fact that several suspects had fled the city.
So far, the court has indicted only six people. Senior Superintendent Chan Tin-chu of the New Territories North headquarters’ crime squad said the six men, aged between 32 and 57, were taken into custody for rioting and conspiracy to wound with intent.
Chan noted that the investigation was still ongoing and that more arrests related to the case are expected.
However, despite the arrest of alleged triad members, pro-democracy advocates have continued to criticise the police for acting as the repressive tool of the Hong Kong government backed by mainland China.
Democratic Party lawmaker Ted Hui recently slammed Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng for stopping the prosecution of a police officer for shooting a pro-democracy protester last November.
For Hui, Cheng's intervention is contrary to the law and politically motivated, designed to suppress the pro-democracy demands of Hong Kongers. Hui announced that he would file for a judicial review of Cheng’s action.
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