Police confront pro-democracy protesters in the Admiralty district of Hong Kong on Oct 15. (AFP PHOTO / Ed Jones)
HK police brutality wasn't an isolated incident: Protesters
POSTED: 17 Oct 2014 13:30
HONG KONG: Pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong have alleged there were more demonstrators who were attacked by the police, after a protester was filmed being beaten by plainclothes officers.
“Citizens who had retreated to Tamar Park were pepper-sprayed or pushed to the ground,” said Occupy Central with Love and Peace (OCLP) in a Facebook post on Friday (Oct 17). “From the injuries seen during the medical examinations of multiple arrested people, kicking and punching was not an isolated incident.”
OCLP posted on Facebook photos purportedly showing protesters’ injuries – which included bruises and lacerations on the face, neck and limbs. The group said the protesters had gotten hurt during clashes with the police, when officers tried to clear barricades at a protest site in Admiralty on Wednesday.
Photo from OCLP's Facebook page shows lacerations on the back of a protester's neck. OCLP alleged that police stamped on the 20-year-old man and hit him, before yanking off the face mask and necklace he was wearing.
OCLP said this 21-year-old man was hit by pepper spray from the police. The group alleged that an officer had pulled off the goggles he was wearing and pepper-sprayed him again. The police also rained blows on him while he lay on the ground, said OCLP. (Photo: OCLP's Facebook page)
The activists also urged victims of the police’s excessive use of force to contact its legal assistance group.
“It is clear the level of force used by the police was not appropriate,” said OCLP. “Let the facts speak, don’t let the police only talk about the number of injured officers.”
Broadcaster TVB had released footage purportedly showing Democratic Party member Ken Tsang being hauled to a corner in Tamar Park by six plainclothes officers. At least three of the officers were filmed raining punches and kicks on him as he lay on the ground.
Hong Kong’s security chief later said the officers who were allegedly involved in the incident have been transferred to other positions amid an ongoing investigation.
Clashes between protesters and police had broken out at Admiralty district early on Wednesday, as officers tried to clear barricades at the protest site. Police had used pepper spray and batons on demonstrators who refused to retreat.
- CNA/xq
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/mobile/asiapacific/hk-police-brutality-wasn/1420422.html
