Hong Kong (AsiaNews) – Several shopping malls located near MTR (Mass Transit Railway) stations have become the scene of protests by the anti-extradition movement with tensions mounting at Sha Tin’s Citylink and Kowloon Bay’s Telford Plaza in Kowloon Bay (pictures 1 and 2).
MTR stations have been targeted because the authorities have refused to release footage from the evening of 31 August, when police indiscriminately beat and used mace against protesters and passengers at the Prince Edward Station. AsiaNews posted a video of the violence yesterday.
At one point, during the incident, the police chased away journalists and photographers and stayed for long hours at the station with people inside. The movement wants the footage of what happened released.
After that operation, some people in the movement have gone missing and there are rumours of possible fatalities.
Today the government denied any claim of deaths in connection with the 31 August violence. But groups of young people laid flowers and messages in front of the station (picture 3)
The Prince Edward Station, under siege yesterday by protesters kneeling to demand the release of the video, was closed to the public and remains so today.
Last night police and protesters clashed in Mong Kok and Yau Ma Tei with multiple rounds of tear gas fired (picture 4). (P.W.)