Hong Kong police defend use of live fire during protests, say officers’ lives were in danger

Riot police clash with anti-government protesters during a demonstration in Sha Tin district of Hong Kong. © Reuters / Jorge Silva

The actions of an officer who shot live rounds at a teenage protester were “lawful and reasonable,” the Hong Kong deputy police commissioner said, adding that there was a threat to the lives of officers.

Tuesday saw one of the most violent clashes since the Hong Kong protests erupted in mid-June over the extradition bill with mainland China. It was also the first time that the law enforcers employed live fire against the rioting crowds, often equipped with Molotov cocktails and other self-made arms. An 18-year-old student was shot in the chest from close range and now remains in hospital in a stable condition. 

The officer, who pulled the trigger, did so “in line with our guidelines and international standards,” Deputy Police Commissioner Ping-keung Tang insisted during a press-conference.

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