Police officers inspect a burning barricade ignited by rioters to block a road in Mong Kok on Saturday. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)
The Hong Kong government condemned the violent demonstration on Saturday night in Mong Kok and the firebombing of an outpatient clinic in Kwai Chung on Sunday morning, blaming the rioters for the mayhem that endangered people’s safety.
In a statement released on Sunday, the government said it is appalled that small groups of radicals went on violent sprees and lawless rampages at a time when Hong Kong is hard-hit by the novel coronavirus outbreak.
It will not be easy for the city’s depressed economy to improve in the first quarter of this year. Avoiding the adverse influence brought about by the violence and chaos such as what happened on Saturday will be crucial to restoring social order and reviving the recession-hit economy
Edward Yau Tang-wah, secretary for commerce and economic development
The statement said Hong Kong’s society and economy are facing the consequences of the prolonged social unrest last year and fresh challengers posed by the coronavirus.
After a months-long lull, violence flared up in Mong Kok on Saturday night when hundreds of masked rioters clad in black set fires in the streets, hurled gasoline bombs at police and erected barricades to disrupt traffic.
Hong Kong was rocked by frequent violent protests for over seven months before the return of relative calm since Lunar New Year.
Two police officers in separate locations on Saturday suffered injuries after being attacked by radicals wielding hard objects. Hong Kong police said on Sunday that 115 people, aged 15 to 54, were arrested for illegal assembly, possessing offensive weapons and other offenses.
Meanwhile, protests unfolded around several Hong Kong communities over the weekend against government plans to turn general outpatient clinics in 18 districts into designated coronavirus clinics in a bid to further contain the spread of the pathogen.
About 100 people took to the streets on Sunday afternoon in Shau Kei Wan. They walked from the Shau Kei Wan Bus Terminus to the Shau Kei Wan Jockey Club General Outpatient Clinic, chanting slogans and blocking roads with traffic cones.
At the same time, dozens of marchers were also seen in Yau Ma Tei, where a group of black-clad rioters holding US flags showed up. Police officers later arrived and patrolled the surrounding places.
Late on Sunday night, around 50 protesters also chanted slogans against designation at Richland Gardens in Kowloon Bay.
The demonstrations came hours after rioters attacked and firebombed the South Kwai Chung Jockey Club General Outpatient Clinic on Kwai Shing Circuit in Kwai Chung.
General outpatient clinics in other districts were earlier vandalized by radicals to protest the facilities’ being designated as facilities to treat novel coronavirus patients.
To help soften the blow from the fallout of the coronavirus outbreak, the government earlier announced a HK$30 billion (US$3.85 billion) fund to relieve the hardships of businesses and individuals in need.
Slamming the vandalism as outrageous, the statement said the government has faith in Hong Kong residents’ willingness to work together to overcome the challenges.
The Hospital Authority also condemned the attack on the clinic in Kwai Chung, saying such “malicious behavior” would affect the operations of the medical facilities and threaten the safety of healthcare workers and patients.
The authority said it will increase security at the clinics.
Speaking on a local radio program, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau Tang-wah said that it will not be easy for the city’s depressed economy to improve in the first quarter of this year. Avoiding the adverse influence brought about by the violence and chaos such as what happened on Saturday will be crucial to restoring social order and reviving the recession-hit economy, he said.
