New | Arrested protesters complain of ‘police violence’ during clearing of Lung Wo Road
Two more protesters who were among the dozens of people arrested on Wednesday have told their version of events and expressed their anger over how Hong Kong police handled the clearing of Lung Wo Road.
Two more protesters who were among the dozens of people arrested on Wednesday have told their version of events and expressed their anger over how Hong Kong police handled the clearing of Lung Wo Road.
Police used tear gas and arrested 45 people to forcibly free the road in Admiralty early on Wednesday morning. Video footage aired by broadcaster TVB of protester Ken Tsang Kin-chiu being beaten for several minutes while under police custody has since caused outrage.
On Thursday, seven police officers allegedly involved in the beating were suspended and an internal police investigation has begun.
At a press conference only hours after the clear-out operation, Senior Superintendent Tsui Wai-hung said 37 men and eight women had been arrested for illegal assembly. No protesters had reported any injuries, Tsui said, but four police officers were hurt during clashes.
One 20 year-old protester said he was kicked in the head and struck with batons by four or five officers before he was detained. "They pushed me to the ground and kicked me while some hit me with batons," said the man, who only gave his surname Au.
He was among those who blocked the tunnel to traffic by building a makeshift roadblock out of drainage covers. At 2.45am on Wednesday morning, a police spokesperson said the tunnel would be cleared and at 3am a group of police officers, some carrying shields and wearing riot gear, began to follow through on their orders.
