Nov 8, 2019

Hong Kong protester's death stokes tensions

Rashaan Ayesh

Photo: Billy H.C. Kwok/Getty Images

The death of a 22-year-old college student has stoked tensions in Hong Kong as protests continue to call for democracy, reports the Washington Post.

Why it matters: Chow Tsz-lok's death may be the first directly tied to police confrontations with Hong Kong's protesters, sparking a new phase in the conflict as some marchers brandished signs calling for revenge.

  • Chow fell from a parking garage while police were trying to disperse protesters on Monday, falling into a coma soon after.
  • However, the exact circumstances of his fall were not clear as security cameras did not capture the incident and some reports placed him a distance from police.

What they're saying:

  • The Hong Kong government released a statement saying they feel "great sorrow and regret" over Chow's death. Police are conducting a formal investigation into what happened.
  • Some protesters claim that Chow fell while fleeing from the police, and that officials blocked the medical responders trying to reach him.

The big picture: Hong Kong's protest movement is heading into its 23rd weekend.

  • Police violence has become a focal point of protesters' demands as Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam has refused to call for an independent investigation into the force's actions.

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Rebecca Falconer

Hong Kong protester shot by police, video shows

Hong Kong police cordon off the site where officers shot at protesters. Photo: Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images

A Hong Kong protester was shot by police who opened fire on demonstrators during clashes in the city at the start of Monday's rush hour, local media report. A hospital spokesman told the BBC the 21-year-old man had surgery and was in a critical condition.

Why it matters: The shooting occurred as demonstrators "blocked roads and scuffled with riot police officers," some of whom fired tear gas during a general strike across the city, per the New York Times. While there have been clashes between police and protesters for the past 24 weekends, it's unusual for it to happen on a working day.

Go deeperArrowUpdated Nov 11, 2019
Rebecca Falconer, Marisa Fernandez

Protests paralyze Hong Kong: What you need to know

Hong Kong riot police fire teargas and rubber bullets as protesters attempt to leave The Hong Kong Poytechnic University on Monday.

Authorities say hundreds of student protesters have been arrested at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, but about 100 were defying police orders to surrender as the standoff entered a third day on Tuesday, AP reports.

The latest: The city's leader Carrie Lam said 600 demonstrators had left the campus, including 200 who are younger than 18, AP notes. Dozens of activists escaped from the building by "shimmying down plastic hosing from a bridge and fleeing on waiting motorbikes as the police fired projectiles," per Reuters.

Go deeperArrowUpdated Nov 19, 2019
Courtenay Brown

Hong Kong's unemployment rises as protests heat up

Police and protesters clash in the Hung Hom district of Hong Kong on Monday. (Photo: Ye Aung Thu/AFP via Getty Images)

The unemployment rate ticked up to 3.1% in Hong Kong last month from 2.9%, according to new data released by the government on Monday.

Why it matters: The standoff between pro-democracy protestors and police isn't letting up — capping a stretch of the bloodiest clashes between police and protesters since the protests began in June. Monday's data adds to a spate of worsening economic indicators in Hong Kong, which is in the midst of its first recession in 10 years.

Go deeperArrowNov 18, 2019