One man was set on fire by protesters in Ma On Shan, and a teenage boy was reportedly hit by police tear gas canisters in Tin Shui Wai
A 70-year-old man reportedly hit on the head with a brick during a clash between anti-government protesters and Sheung Shui residents on Wednesday has died.
He was one of three men – aged between 15 and 70 – critically injured during confrontations over the past few days as clashes and protests rocked the city all week.
Four times as many students under the age of 16 arrested in the last two months
A spokesman for Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin confirmed that the man had died at 10.51pm on Thursday.
A hospital source said he had been admitted to the neurosurgery high-dependency unit and had not regained consciousness since being injured.
The case will be referred to the Coroner’s Court for follow-up.
Senior Superintendent Kelvin Kong Wing-cheung of the police public relations branch told a regular briefing earlier on Thursday that investigations were under way. “Video footage shows he was only taking pictures at the scene,” Kong said.
Leung chased a group of masked protesters who had vandalised an MTR station. He was then assaulted and set on fire after a flammable solution was poured over him in a case police have classified as attempted murder.
A 15-year-old boy, reportedly hit on the head by tear gas canisters in Tin Shui Wai on Wednesday night, was in critical condition in Tuen Mun Hospital. The injury occurred when police fired rounds of tear gas to disperse a crowd at Kingswood Richly Plaza on Tin Wu Road.
Medical sources earlier said the boy suffered a skull fracture and internal bleeding and underwent an urgent operation after being taken to hospital.
Schools close as disruptions continue
Pui Shing Catholic Secondary School in Tin Shui Wai confirmed in a statement on Thursday that the boy studied there.