Student shot and man set ablaze in one of the most violent days of Hong Kong anti-government unrest yet

Tear gas, petrol bombs, barricades and pepper spray are used across multiple districts as protesters create traffic mayhem in a bid to spark a general strike

City chief warns that anyone who believes violence will force her government to give in to their political demands is indulging in ‘wishful thinking’

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A video grab shows a police officer (left) shooting a protester in the chest in Hong Kong on Monday. Photo: AFP

Published: 12:56am, 12 Nov 2019Updated: 5:30pm, 15 Nov 2019

Police fired a live round at a protester from close range and a man was torched in an act now classified as attempted murder, as Hong Kong on Monday spiralled into one of the most violent days of the anti-government movement, with clashes raging for more than 16 hours.

The shooting victim, a 21-year-old vocational student surnamed Chow, had a kidney and part of his liver removed to retrieve the bullet and was reportedly in critical condition, while 57-year-old construction worker Lee Chi-cheung was fighting for his life on Monday evening after suffering second-degree burns to his chest and arms, as well as head trauma.

Nearly 12 hours after rampaging radicals set up barricades on main roads, lit fires and hurled petrol bombs and bricks at riot police in multiple districts, a grim-faced Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor dug in her heels at a brief press conference.

She denounced those who believed the violence would force her government to give in to their political demands as indulging in “wishful thinking”.

In unprecedented working-hours mayhem as the city entered its 24th straight week of unrest, police fired tear gas in at least 12 locations, from as far as east as Sai Wan Ho on Hong Kong Island, all the way north to Tai Po in the New Territories and Tsuen Wan and Tuen Mun to the west.

At lunch time, the Central business district was blanketed by a grey veil of tear gas as police clashed with black-clad mobs who staged a rally, shouting slogans such as “Five demands, not one less” and “Liberate Hong Kong; Revolution of our times”.