Man collapses as angry Hong Kong residents demand answers from MTR Corp over police use of tear gas in stations
- Crowd accuse man of taking their pictures at Tai Koo MTR station as they surround its control room
- Rail operator has come under fire over two separate incidents on August 11 when police and protesters clashed
A man taking pictures of an angry crowd inside a Hong Kong MTR station collapsed on Tuesday night after being surrounded by local residents, who had gathered to demand answers over police’s use of tear gas and rubber bullets in Tai Koo.
At least 100 people assembled outside the station’s control room, wanting to know what the MTR Corporation was doing to hold police accountable for an incident on August 11, when officers fired on anti-government protesters as they tried to escape through the station.
The rail operator has been under fire over two separate incidents, when police and protesters clashed inside Tai Koo and Kwai Fong stations.
“We have been studying the issue closely and have increased staff in the stations to ensure passengers’ safety,” an MTR employee told assembled residents.
But the statement met with more anger as the crowd felt the rail operator had not done enough.
“It has been a whole week and you are still trying to understand the situation,” they shouted back.
Hong Kong MTR staff bear brunt of protesters’ anger at administration
MTR staff tried to escort him out, but residents refused to allow him to leave before he explained why he was taking pictures. The man then apparently passed out and was taken away by paramedics.
Earlier on Tuesday, a notice was posted at Tai Koo station with a detailed timeline of the measures taken by station staff as protesters tried to escape the tear gas and rubber bullets being fired at them around one of the exits.
The notice said staff had noticed a sudden influx of passengers from exit C, and had taken crowd control measures including opening an emergency staircase, as well as warning other passengers not to leave from that exit.
