Police slammed over Mong Kok ‘violence’ after video of officer hitting peaceful protesters emerges

An officer caught on video hitting peaceful protesters with his baton will be removed from the current operation, police said last night after the force came under fire for abusing its power and using "disproportionate" force to disperse Occupy Central activists in Mong Kok.

Pro-democracy demonstrators yesterday recounted the police hostility they experienced during the two-day clearance operation at the occupied zone.

"Officers pinned me down, limiting my movement, causing wounds to my face and neck," said Joshua Wong Chi-fung, convenor of student group Scholarism, who was among the 169 people arrested. "They even attempted six or seven times to hurt my body, including my private parts."

Lester Shum, of the Federation of Students, said officers smacked his head with a baton, punched him and kicked him while trying to arrest him on Tuesday. His head was pushed against the ground, he added.

Shum's account was similar to that of the League of Social Democrats' Raphael Wong Ho-ming, who said police pinned him down and stepped on his head. People Power's Tam Tak-chi said his eye became bloodshot after an officer pushed his head to the ground.

A video by broadcaster DBC showed police dealing with people who appeared to be peacefully leaving the occupied zone. The video showed an officer using his baton to hit two people walking by on their back and waist, and another using a shield to push a man.