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Hong Kong protests swell on outcry over beating of politician
Bloomberg - October 16, 2014
Images captured on October 15 that appear to show Ken Tsang, a member of the Civic Party, being taken by police officers to a corner at Tamar Park and repeatedly hit and kicked have renewed anger toward the police.
"They are dogs," said John Chu, a 27-year-old corporate finance employee at a Hong Kong investment bank, as he pointed to police blocking access to the offices of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying. "I'm against violence against the public."
He showed up last night after work in Admiralty after seeing the video and learning of the arrests of 45 people as police drove back protesters who had seized the central Lung Wo Road underpass near the city government's headquarters.
While the latest incident led to a surge in demonstrators for a rally against police violence, the response was more muted than when the protests swelled to as many as 200,000 after police fired tear gas on demonstrators on September 28.
Ota Lia Lee, a 23-year-old nurse who described herself as neutral on the issue of democracy in Hong Kong, said she came to the protest site last night after her shift ended at Eastern Hospital.
"There are many accidents and some police beatings, I can't stand that," said Ms Lee, who was wearing her black graduation gown because it's trimmed in yellow, the colour worn by protesters. "I'm here to give help at first aid stations."
Hundreds of people rallied outside police headquarters chanting "shameful" and "disgraceful". Dozens queued to file complaints against the alleged beating.
"The police say they don't have evidence, so we are here as witnesses," said a 33-year-old social worker who would only give his surname, Chiu. "Some were at the scene and many others watched the video online."
The numbers at the main protest site, which had dwindled to hundreds in recent days, swelled again for the rally as thousands covered the eight-lane road that has been transformed into a tent camp.
The movement started on September 26 with a student protest to demand the government in Beijing drop plans to vet candidates for the 2017 election of the city's chief executive.
"You may have seen the TV footage of a number of police officers assaulting me while I was detained and defenceless," Mr Tsang told reporters outside of the police station after he was released on bail.
"Prior to that, I'd been assaulted and was later assaulted yet again in the police station." Mr Tsang said he will pursue legal action.
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