#Fishballrevolution: Hong Kong’s social media users react to violent Mong Kok hawker protest

Street hawkers clashed with police in Mong Kok on the first night of the Lunar New Year in violent scenes, prompting Hong Kong netizens to dub it ‘fishball revolution’.

A mass response to health officers cracking down on street food sellers’ hygiene standards quickly became a riot on Portland Street, with glass bottles and bricks being used as projectiles.

Tensions escalated after police pointed guns in the faces of protesters and warning shots were fired.

READ MORE: Hong Kong’s New Year night of ‘rioting’ leaves Mong Kok in lockdown after street hawker crackdown descends into ugly street battles between police and protesters

Both sides equipped themselves for physical conflict, with police donning shields, batons, pepper spray and guns, while protesters reportedly arrived armed with home-made shields, goggles, helmets and gloves.

Hongkongers sought to highlight the protest was about the problems faced by street food hawkers – spawning the Twitter hashtag #fishballrevolution.

Some suggested that violent factions had hijacked the protest for their own means.

While the protest began as a pushback against police trying to clear Mong Kok of hawkers, the vendors themselves were not necessarily involved in the events that escalated to violence.