Police Violently Repress Protests in Hong Kong, Leaving Pools of Blood Throughout the City

Hong Kong police escalated the use of violence against protesters this weekend, the tenth since protests against Communist Party influence in the city began, flooding closed-off areas with tear gas and, on one occasion, allegedly shooting a protester in the eye.

The harrowing image of the young woman, yet to be identified, bleeding profusely from her eye socket inspired protesters Monday to demand Hong Kong police “give us the eye back.”

In another video, journalists caught police beating a complying protester and squeezing him into a pool of his own blood as the protester repeatedly told officers he was complying with his arrest and in significant pain.

Police also used tear gas liberally in contained spaces – most notably, in an enclosed Mass Transit Rail (MTR) station – and fired pellets and bean bags at close range, injuring protesters. Many online questioned the use of tear gas, meant to disperse crowds, in a space where the protesters were trapped and could not physically disperse.

Protesters have launched a White House petition to brand the Hong Kong police force a terrorist organization which, as of Monday morning, has enough signatures for an official U.S. government response.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets on Saturday and Sunday throughout the city, the Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP) reported, despite police limiting the scope of protests, banning marching in many instances, and keeping protesters away from government buildings and police stations. While the protest movement has been overwhelmingly peaceful, protesters have attacked government buildings to prevent officials from conducting business that would limit their civil liberties. Most prominently, protesters destroyed the headquarters of the Legislative Council (LegCo) – only targeting the facilities needed to pass laws – to keep legislators from passing a law that would allow China to extradite anyone present in the city for violating communist laws.

A full withdrawal of the extradition law – which makes Communist Party laws viable on Hong Kong soil and, thus, violates the “One Country, Two Systems” policy that governs the city – is the primary demand of the protest movement. Lawmakers have tabled the bill, which allows them to revive it at any time, but have refused to withdraw it.

Protesters began surrounding a police station in the neighborhood of Tsim Sha Tsui late Sunday, prompting police to flood the area with tear gas and use bean bags, pellets, and...

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