People (left) walk past a fire lit by protesters in the Kowloon district of Hong Kong on Dec 31, 2019. (ISAAC LAWRENCE / AFP)

HONG KONG - Hong Kong police arrested three males on suspicion of arson on Wednesday after they allegedly hurled five gasoline bombs at Tai Po Police Station in the New Territories in the early hours of the same day.

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All three are secondary school students 16 to 18 years old, Johnson Chong Shing-yat, assistant district commander (crime) of Tai Po, told a media briefing Wednesday noon.

Johnson Chong Shing-yat, assistant district commander (crime) of Tai Po, said young people were “victims” as they were encouraged to turn to violence by people who hide behind them

They were among a group of people who allegedly threw gasoline bombs at the police station at 2:40 am on Wednesday. Three gasoline bombs fell within the range of the police station and two fell outside.

Chong said that arson is an offense punishable by up to life imprisonment.

In addition, two of the suspects resisted arrest and assaulted police officers, Chong said. They will be charged with assaulting a police officer, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison.

Chong said that police have noticed a worrying trend that many arrestees over the past 10 months of social unrest have been young people, adding that they were also “victims” as they were encouraged to turn to violence by people who hide behind them, Chong said.

He said these people behind the scenes have preached fabricated stories to young people, justifying violence and claiming it was a solution to their problems. However, young people ended up being punished while those who incited the violence have walked free.

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Chong urged young people not to break the law and destroy their futures.

Police also are calling on parents to communicate more with their children and strengthen their awareness of the law.

In the first three months of 2020, there were 16 gasoline bomb attacks on police stations and police dormitories in Hong Kong, with 71 gasoline bombs hurled by radicals.