The teenager who was the first victim of police gunfire in Hong Kong’s monthslong pro-democracy protests was charged Thursday with rioting and attacking police.
The shooting occurred during widespread violence Tuesday across the semi-autonomous Chinese territory that marred China’s National Day celebrations. It has deepened anger against police, who have been accused of being heavy-handed against protesters.
The officer fired at close range as 18-year-old Tsang Chi-kin struck him with a rod. The government said his condition was stable after surgery.
The case against Tsang was heard by a court Thursday afternoon. He was among seven people charged with rioting, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. He also faces two additional counts of attacking two police officers, punishable by up to six months in prison.
Thousands of people rallied on Wednesday to demand police accountability for the shooting, with many saying the use of lethal weaponry was unjustified.
Pockets of black-clad youths vented their anger late Wednesday night, lobbing petrol bombs at police quarters, vandalising subway stations and blocking traffic in several districts. Police responded with tear gas in some areas.
Students march
More than 1,000 students marched on Thursday at the Chinese University in a continuing show of support for Tsang and vowed to keep up their fight for more democratic freedoms. Many students felt that firing at Tsang’s chest, close to his heart, was an attempt to kill him.
Police defended the shooting at close range as reasonable and lawful because the officer had feared for his life and those of his colleagues.
The shooting marked an escalation in violence in the protests that have besieged one of the world’s top financial hubs since June over a now-withdrawn extradition bill. The movement has snowballed into an anti-China campaign amid anger over what many view as Beijing’s interference in the autonomy that was granted Hong Kong when the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. More than 1,750 people have been detained so far.
