Hong Kong protests: Man set alight hours after protester shot by police as anti-government violence escalates

A man has been set on fire in the former British colony, as the city experiences one of the most dramatic days in over five months of protests.

Protesters began disrupting transit in the morning as part of a general strike and clashed with police in several locations.

Major roads across several districts have been blocked and MTR services suspended, a fire was set on a train at Kwai Fong and protesters vandalized several other stations.

Monday, as clashes erupt across Hong Kong. Commuters are facing transport chaos and disruption.

In Sai Wan Ho a traffic police officer shot a 21-year-old protester in the torso.

Live rounds shot by the police this morning in HongKong.
One young protestor fell down immediately after being shot. He was in severe bleeding and unconscious.
今晨香港警察实弹袭击抗议者，受害者倒地，血流不止！#PoliceBrutality #HongKongProtests pic.twitter.com/uS1urVi6kh

— 巴丢草 Badiucao (@badiucao) November 11, 2019

The protester was in a critical condition on Monday morning, but by the afternoon, police said there was no immediate threat to his life.

The shooting sparked public outrage.

In a separate incident, a man who confronted a group of pro-democracy protesters was doused in a flammable liquid and set alight, according to a graphic video seen by CNN and shared on social media.

According to the Hong Kong police, demonstrators vandalized or blocked roads in over 120 locations around the city.

“We appeal to everyone to please stay calm and rational,” Tse Chun-Chung, Hong Kong Chief Superintendent of Police, said.

“Continuing this rampage is a lose-lose situation for Hong Kong – everyone is a loser,” Tse said a police officer has been suspended from front line service after driving a motorbike through a crowd of protesters in Kwai Fung, in the New Territories.

Office workers in the city’s Central financial district have been sent home as riot police fired tear gas to disperse protesters.

Barely 9 o’clock in the morning, and across the other side of town, in Kwai Fong, a traffic cop gone berserk on a motorcycle is running protesters over. Several injuries reported. Watch till the very end. It’s very disturbing. pic.twitter.com/KlAeEIGGLA

— Joshua Wong 黃之鋒 😷 (@joshuawongcf) November 11, 2019

Source: CNN