2016 Mong Kok civil unrest: Difference between revisions
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On 8 February, first day of the Chinese New Year, [[Hong Kong Indigenous]], a [[Hong Kong Autonomy Movement|localist]] political group, called for action online to escort the hawkers. Around 9 p.m. a few hundred gathered and verbally assaulted the FEHD officers.<ref name="a1"/> |
On 8 February, first day of the Chinese New Year, [[Hong Kong Indigenous]], a [[Hong Kong Autonomy Movement|localist]] political group, called for action online to escort the hawkers. Around 9 p.m. a few hundred gathered and verbally assaulted the FEHD officers.<ref name="a1"/> |
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Around 10 p.m., |
Around 10 p.m., a taxi driving into [[Portland Street]] accidentally hit an old man. Protesters blocked the road and prevented the taxi from leaving. The [[Hong Kong Police]] arrived and surrounded the car, warning others not to get closer. The police leave shortly after and returned with a portable podium at 11:45 p.m. which sparked anger in the crowd.<ref name="timetable">{{cite news|title=Timeline and map: how the Mong Kok street hawker hygiene clampdown became a full-scale riot|first=Chris|last=Lau|date=9 January 2016|newspaper=South China Morning Post|url=http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1910858/timeline-and-map-how-mong-kok-street-hawker-hygiene}}</ref> Around midnight, violent clashes broke out between police and protestors as police urged to clear the street. The police put on protective gear, including helmets and shields and used batons and pepper spray on the protestors,<ref name="a1"/> while some of the protesters, equipped with home-made shields, goggles, helmets and gloves, threw glass bottles, bricks, flower pots and trash bins to the police.<ref name="gunshots"/><ref name="live"/> |
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Around 2 a.m., two warning shots were fired into the air on [[Argyle Street, Hong Kong|Argyle Street]] when pallets and rocks were hurled at a team of traffic police officers.<ref name="gunshots">{{cite news|title=Gunshots fired as violence flares between Hong Kong police and protestors defending Mong Kok hawkers on first day of Chinese New Year|url=http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1910845/gunshots-fired-violence-flares-between-hong-kong-police-and?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=SCMPSocialNewsfeed|newspaper=South China Morning Post|date=9 February 2016|first1=Chris|last1=Lau|first2=Joyce|last2=Ng|first3=Danny|last3=Lee}}</ref> |
Around 2 a.m., two warning shots were fired into the air on [[Argyle Street, Hong Kong|Argyle Street]] when pallets and rocks were hurled at a team of traffic police officers.<ref name="gunshots">{{cite news|title=Gunshots fired as violence flares between Hong Kong police and protestors defending Mong Kok hawkers on first day of Chinese New Year|url=http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1910845/gunshots-fired-violence-flares-between-hong-kong-police-and?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=SCMPSocialNewsfeed|newspaper=South China Morning Post|date=9 February 2016|first1=Chris|last1=Lau|first2=Joyce|last2=Ng|first3=Danny|last3=Lee}}</ref> The scene descended into chaos as protesters engaged in scuffles and fighting with the police and toss glass bottles and rubbish bins at them.<ref name="timetable"/> At 2:30 a.m., more police arrived to the scene and disperse the protestors. Standoff subsequently moves to [[Nathan Road]] at 3 a.m..<ref name="timetable"/> |
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At 4 a.m., the first of the multiple fires starts at Sai Yeung Choi Street South, followed by three more that are later ignited on the same street.<ref name="timetable"/> Some protestors set fire to rubbish bins surrounding [[Shantung Street]] and [[Soy Street]], including junctions of [[Fife Street]] and [[Portland Street]] and of Nathan Road and [[Nelson Street]], which was put out by the police and firemen.<ref name="live">{{cite news|title=【旺角衝突直播中】更新開槍片段: 警員開兩槍全程直擊|date=9 February 2016|newspaper=Apple Daily|url=http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/realtime/breaking/20160208/54740407}}</ref> Both lanes on Nathan Road were blocked from south of Argyle Street and the [[Mong Kok Station|Mong Kok MTR station]] was shut down.<ref name="gunshots"/> |
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| ⚫ | At 7:15 a.m., protesters were dispersed at Soy Street near [[Fa Yuen Street]] following another long standoff after police officers in [[Police Tactical Unit (Hong Kong)|Police Tactical Unit]] uniform are deployed.<ref name="timetable"/> Protesters gradually dispersed around 8 a.m.. The streets in Mong Kok were calm by 9:00 a.m.. Mong Kok MTR station was reopened at 9:45 a.m..<ref>{{cite news|title=騷亂過後回復平靜 港鐵旺角站重開|date=9 February 2016|newspaper=Apple Daily|url=http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/realtime/breaking/20160209/54741039}}</ref> |
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In all, 24 protestors were arrested,<ref name="arrest">{{cite news|title=【旺角衝突】警方拘捕24示威者 警員及記者44人傷|date=9 February 2016|newspaper=Apple Daily|url=http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/realtime/breaking/20160209/54740801}}</ref> including Edward Leung Tin-kei, spokesman of the Hong Kong Indigenous and candidate for the [[New Territories East by-election, 2016]] was arrested.<ref>{{cite news|title=【旺角黑夜】本民前梁天琦被捕|url=http://www.hk01.com/%E6%B8%AF%E8%81%9E/6476/-%E6%97%BA%E8%A7%92%E9%BB%91%E5%A4%9C-%E6%9C%AC%E6%B0%91%E5%89%8D%E6%A2%81%E5%A4%A9%E7%90%A6%E8%A2%AB%E6%8D%95|work=HK01}}</ref> One of the members of [[Youngspiration]], another localist group was also arrested.<ref name="gunshots"/> In addition, 48 police and 4 reporters were reported injured.<ref name="gunshots"/> |
In all, 24 protestors were arrested,<ref name="arrest">{{cite news|title=【旺角衝突】警方拘捕24示威者 警員及記者44人傷|date=9 February 2016|newspaper=Apple Daily|url=http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/realtime/breaking/20160209/54740801}}</ref> including Edward Leung Tin-kei, spokesman of the Hong Kong Indigenous and candidate for the [[New Territories East by-election, 2016]] was arrested.<ref>{{cite news|title=【旺角黑夜】本民前梁天琦被捕|url=http://www.hk01.com/%E6%B8%AF%E8%81%9E/6476/-%E6%97%BA%E8%A7%92%E9%BB%91%E5%A4%9C-%E6%9C%AC%E6%B0%91%E5%89%8D%E6%A2%81%E5%A4%A9%E7%90%A6%E8%A2%AB%E6%8D%95|work=HK01}}</ref> One of the members of [[Youngspiration]], another localist group was also arrested.<ref name="gunshots"/> In addition, 48 police and 4 reporters were reported injured.<ref name="gunshots"/> |
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Revision as of 10:45, 9 February 2016
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| 2016 Mong Kok civil unrest | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Police on Argyle Street on the morning of 9 February | |||
| Date | 8–9 February 2016 | ||
| Location | |||
| Caused by | Food and Environmental Hygiene Department crackdown on hawkers[1] | ||
| Methods | Rioting, vandalism, arson and assault | ||
| Status | Ongoing | ||
| Parties | |||
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| Lead figures | |||
| Number | |||
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| Casualties and losses | |||
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| 4 reporters injuries[3] | |||
The 2016 Mong Kok civil unrest (Chinese: 2016年旺角騷亂) is an ongoing event in Mong Kok, Hong Kong since 8 February 2016 escalated from the government's crackdown on street hawkers during the Chinese New Year holidays. Violent clashes broke out between police and protestors. Batons and pepper spray were used by the police and two warning shots were fired into the air, while protestors threw glass bottles, bricks, flower pots and trash bins toward the police and set fires in the streets.
The Hong Kong government has stated the violent event is a "riot", while some media outlets and social media platforms have called the event "Fishball Revolution" (魚蛋革命), in reference to the popular street food.[5]
Minor conflicts with similar causes also took place in Tuen Mun.
Background
Hawkers crackdown
The Chinese New Year holidays have traditionally attracted many hawkers to gather around Sai Yeung Choi Street, Mong Kok, selling Hong Kong street food and other products. The hawkers were constantly under pressure by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department's (FEHD) city-wide crackdown on street food vendors in the city, which drew discontent from the locals.[1]
Political context
The civil unrest is the most serious violent clash since the authorities cleared the last of the pro-democracy demonstrators from the streets in late 2014.[6] Since then the civil unrest continues to worsen and protests began to submerge into the streets and often occur spontaneously and unexpectedly in form of small skirmishes. The unrest also takes place in the same streets protestors had occupied for months during the demonstration. After the clearance in December 2014, some pro-democracy protesters continued to assemble in Mong Kok to express their discontent over police by pretending to shop in Mong Kok on several occasions. The relationship between police and the people had hit a new low since the protests, strained by controversies including the beating of protester Ken Tsang and the beating of protesters by superintendent Chu King-wai.[7]
In addition, a swathe of new activist groups emerged in the wake of the Umbrella Revolution, some of them taking a more anti-government and militant stance. Hong Kong Indigenous, which was formed in early 2015, had previously been involved in violent clashes with police in several anti-parallel trading protests.[8]
Course of events
Mong Kok
On 8 February, first day of the Chinese New Year, Hong Kong Indigenous, a localist political group, called for action online to escort the hawkers. Around 9 p.m. a few hundred gathered and verbally assaulted the FEHD officers.[1]
Around 10 p.m., a taxi driving into Portland Street accidentally hit an old man. Protesters blocked the road and prevented the taxi from leaving. The Hong Kong Police arrived and surrounded the car, warning others not to get closer. The police leave shortly after and returned with a portable podium at 11:45 p.m. which sparked anger in the crowd.[9] Around midnight, violent clashes broke out between police and protestors as police urged to clear the street. The police put on protective gear, including helmets and shields and used batons and pepper spray on the protestors,[1] while some of the protesters, equipped with home-made shields, goggles, helmets and gloves, threw glass bottles, bricks, flower pots and trash bins to the police.[3][10]
Around 2 a.m., two warning shots were fired into the air on Argyle Street when pallets and rocks were hurled at a team of traffic police officers.[3] The scene descended into chaos as protesters engaged in scuffles and fighting with the police and toss glass bottles and rubbish bins at them.[9] At 2:30 a.m., more police arrived to the scene and disperse the protestors. Standoff subsequently moves to Nathan Road at 3 a.m..[9]
At 4 a.m., the first of the multiple fires starts at Sai Yeung Choi Street South, followed by three more that are later ignited on the same street.[9] Some protestors set fire to rubbish bins surrounding Shantung Street and Soy Street, including junctions of Fife Street and Portland Street and of Nathan Road and Nelson Street, which was put out by the police and firemen.[10] Both lanes on Nathan Road were blocked from south of Argyle Street and the Mong Kok MTR station was shut down.[3]
At 7:15 a.m., protesters were dispersed at Soy Street near Fa Yuen Street following another long standoff after police officers in Police Tactical Unit uniform are deployed.[9] Protesters gradually dispersed around 8 a.m.. The streets in Mong Kok were calm by 9:00 a.m.. Mong Kok MTR station was reopened at 9:45 a.m..[11]
In all, 24 protestors were arrested,[4] including Edward Leung Tin-kei, spokesman of the Hong Kong Indigenous and candidate for the New Territories East by-election, 2016 was arrested.[12] One of the members of Youngspiration, another localist group was also arrested.[3] In addition, 48 police and 4 reporters were reported injured.[3]
Tuen Mun
There were also minor conflicts caused by the Link REIT officers' crackdown on hawkers gathered outside of the Leung King Plaza in Leung King Estate, Tuen Mun on 8 February night. More than 200 showed up protested against the Link REIT officers' action. It is said[citation needed] that gangsters and triad activities are involved in the event and they act against the hawkers. Some minor clashes broke out between the officers and the protestors and needed to be mediated by the police.[13] Two protestors were arrested and one reporter fell down during the clash and was sent to hospital.[14]
Reactions
SAR government
The Hong Kong Police referred to the event as a "riot" and the protestors a "mob".[3] “Radical elements have come with self-made weapons and shields and clashed with police,” Crusade Yau Siu-kei, deputy Mong Kok district commander said. “The situation ran out of control and became a riot.” It also said it does not rule out the riot was “organised”, claiming that vehicles were arranged by protesters to transport equipment.[3]
The police released a statement released at 3.23 a.m. 9 February, strongly condemned the clashes in Mong Kok, defended its “resolute actions” including the deployment of batons, pepper spray to stop “unlawful violence acts,” and vowed “resolute enforcement actions will be taken against any illegal acts to preserve public order and safeguard public safety.”[3] Another statement released at 6 a.m. said: “Police reiterate that any acts endangering public order and public safety will not be tolerated. The Hong Kong community regard that the public should express their views in a rational and peaceful manner. Police will take enforcement actions decisively on law-breaking behaviours.”[3]
The Hong Kong government condemned the "mobs have taken part in a riot in Mong Kok, attacking police officers on duty and media covering the incident at the site" in a statement. It stated that "the mobs would be apprehended and brought to justice."[15]
Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying justified the police firing warning shots, as the rioters attacked policemen who were already injured and lying on the ground. “Any big city facing a similar nature of events would classify it as a riot, not just for the government but society as a whole,” he said. “The police exercised maximum restraint” when compared with other western countries.[16]
Politicians
Ip Kwok-him, a Beijing-loyalist Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) legislator and chairman of panel of Security of the Legislative Council, defended the police decision to open fire as “appropriate” given the critical circumstances and believed it was an organised crime.[16]
Yau Tsim Mong District Council chairman Chris Ip Ngo-tung, a DAB member, also condemned the violent actions, believed that the people "would not agree such barbarian acts." He thanked police and reporters for their duties during the events.[17]
The Democratic Party, a pro-democracy party, also released a statement saying that it condemns and does not tolerate any violent and arson actions, sending their regards to the injured. It also demanded a full investigation on the two warning shots and reflections from the government on the deep-rooted causes of the deep social tensions, including people's resentment, loss of prestige of the government and the hawker policy.[17]
Civil organisations
Scholarism, a student activist group took a leading role in the 2014 protests, condemned police for using excessive force on protestors which intensified people's anger and distrust toward the police since the 2014 protests, including police manners in regard to the beating of protester Ken Tsang and the beating of protesters by superintendent Chu King-wai. It expressed shock at the police's deliberate provocation against the protestors and being the first who used violence against the people.[18][19] The group stated, "Scholarism believes that the protests fell into chaos last night because the police used inappropriate force [...] firing shots amplified emotions on both sides, and the situation spun out of control".[19]
Ray Wong Toi-yeung, convenor of the Hong Kong Indigenous, disagreed with Leung Chung-ying framing the clashes as "riot", stating that protestors were only helping the hawkers to do business until the police rushed into Shangtung Street at midnight. He dismissed the claim that the violent clashes were staged. He thought that throwing bricks should not be considered as fierce, as compared to other countries. He also believed that firing warning shots as inappropriate.[20]
Journalists
The Hong Kong News Executives' Association, the Hong Kong Press Photographers Association, and the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) all released statements condemning the violent acts and verbal assaults occurred against reporters, as well as blocking the reporters from reporting. The Hong Kong News Executives' Association stated that those actions were serious impediment to freedom of press, destroy the rule of law in Hong Kong, depriving the public right to know.[21]
The HKJA said that a Ming Pao journalist was beaten by a policeman despite stating his identity.[19] Reporters from broadcasters RTHK and TVB were reportedly injured by protesters.[19]
Social media
Hong Kong social media users took to Twitter using the hashtag #fishballrevolution, referring to a popular street food. Some highlighted the protest was about the problems faced by street food hawkers, while the other suggested that violent factions had hijacked the protest for their own means.[22]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "【A1頭條】本土派號召300人旺角撐小販 警噴椒驅散". Apple Daily. 9 February 2016.
- ^ "【旺角夜市】防暴警出動 本土派籲群眾「自己執生」". Apple Daily. 9 February 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Lau, Chris; Ng, Joyce; Lee, Danny (9 February 2016). "Gunshots fired as violence flares between Hong Kong police and protestors defending Mong Kok hawkers on first day of Chinese New Year". South China Morning Post.
- ^ a b "【旺角衝突】警方拘捕24示威者 警員及記者44人傷". Apple Daily. 9 February 2016.
- ^ VICE News. "'Fishball Revolution' Creates Chaos on Hong Kong Streets During Lunar New Year Fest". VICE News.
- ^ "Hong Kong riot police clash with protesters amid crackdown on street vendors". Reuters. 8 February 2015.
- ^ Cheung, Eric (27 July 2015). "Public trust in police force reaches new low – survey". Hong Kong Free Press.
- ^ "Categories – Law & Order – 33 arrested in Yuen Long protest". Government of Hong Kong. 28 February 2015.
- ^ a b c d e Lau, Chris (9 January 2016). "Timeline and map: how the Mong Kok street hawker hygiene clampdown became a full-scale riot". South China Morning Post.
- ^ a b "【旺角衝突直播中】更新開槍片段: 警員開兩槍全程直擊". Apple Daily. 9 February 2016.
- ^ "騷亂過後回復平靜 港鐵旺角站重開". Apple Daily. 9 February 2016.
- ^ "【旺角黑夜】本民前梁天琦被捕". HK01.
- ^ "【新春小販】不滿領展「管理員」禁錮良景小販 市民聲援爆衝突". HK01. 8 February 2016.
- ^ "良景邨夜市爆衝突 記者被推倒在地 兩男子被捕". Ming Pao. 9 February 2016.
- ^ "The Government condemns mob activities". Hong Kong Government. 9 February 2016.
- ^ a b Sun, Nikki (9 January 2016). "Hong Kong New Year fireworks will not be cancelled: Chief Executive CY Leung condemns Mong Kok protesters, supports police tactics". South China Morning Post.
- ^ a b "【旺角衝突】民主黨譴責暴力縱火行為 促查警開槍檢討社會矛盾". Apple Daily. 9 January 2016.
- ^ "【旺角衝突】學民思潮斥警激化矛盾 譴責舉槍指嚇棍毆市民". Apple Daily. 9 January 2016.
- ^ a b c d Cheung, Karen (9 February 2016). "Protester violence in Mong Kok and police reaction condemned by political and activist groups". Hong Kong Free Press.
- ^ "【旺角衝突】黃台仰：掟磚非激烈事前冇準備 焦點應放在警濫權". Apple Daily. 9 January 2016.
- ^ "【旺角衝突】記者被磚打中 多個新聞協會強烈讉責". Apple Daily. 9 January 2016.
- ^ Ma, Laura; Blund, Rachel (9 January 2016). "#Fishballrevolution: Hong Kong's social media users react to violent Mong Kok hawker protest". South China Morning Post.