300th day of shopping protests campaign sees several arrests in Mong Kok

A number of people were arrested or invited for questioning after clashes during a “gou wu” shopping protest in Mong Kok last night. 

They were allegedly involved in verbal and physical clashes with rivals in the pedestrian zone in Sai Yeung Choi Street South. Supporters had gathered there to mark the 300th day of the campaign. 

The spontaneous and leaderless protests started in late November shortly after the police clearance of the Occupy site in Mong Kok. Participants, who often target mainland visitors to the city, gather under the guise of shopping to obstruct traffic in Mong Kok. “Gou wu” is the Putonghua pronunciation of “shopping” – or “buy objects”.