Police arrested five people after angry mainland and Hong Kong shop owners protested at the Cheung Kong Center in Central yesterday over the failure of Li Ka-shing's Guangzhou toy hub.
Three men and two women were arrested after about 70 mainland shop owners staged a protest, carrying banners that read 'Pay back our hard-earned money'.
Some of the protesters lay across the exit of the car park at the building, the headquarters of Li's Cheung Kong (Holdings).
A clash ensued with security staff after they refused to leave the driveway. A policewoman and three male security guards were slightly injured.
The protesters accused the company of mismanagement of the 32-hectare mall in Huangpu district and demanded compensation.
The 1.5 billion yuan (HK$1.83 billion) hub is owned by Guangzhou International Toys and Gifts Centre - a joint venture between Li's Cheung Kong and subsidiary Hutchison Whampoa - which holds a 60 per cent stake, and the Guangzhou International Toy Centre. The venture announced the project in 2003, and vowed to turn it into the world's biggest toy and gift hub.