Protesters in Hong Kong are planning another big rally later on Sunday, a day after police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at activists who gathered to protest an attack by suspected triad gang members at a train station last weekend.
Suspected pro-government triad gangs, about 100 men wearing white shirts, stormed the Yuen Long mass-transit station and thrashed pro-democracy demonstrators last Sunday as they marched through central Hong Kong and defaced China's Liaison Office―the main symbol of Beijing's authority. At least 45 people were injured in the violence.
Several activists attempted to hold a banned rally near the border with China on Saturday. Riot police fired tear gas as protesters hurled rocks during the violent clash. Eleven arrests have been made, police said. Hospital authorities said that 24 people were injured, with two in serious condition.
Another rally has been planned on Sunday afternoon. The latest clash compounds the political crisis engulfing the city's pro-Beijing leadership who are seemingly unable, or unwilling, to end the chaos.
Hong Kong was plunged into crisis after millions of people took to the streets, demanding the scrapping of the extradition bill that would allow its citizens to be sent to mainland China for trial. The former British colony has seen violent protests in the past few weeks between demonstrators and the police. Protesters are now calling for democratic reforms and also seeking independent inquiries into police use of force and the resignation of Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam.
Beijing has condemned the violence, but has left it to the city's semi-autonomous government to deal with the situation.
Hong Kong leader Lam had agreed to suspend the extradition bill, but tensions are yet to subside.
(With inputs from agencies)
