25 people hospitalised during Hong Kong protests

As many as 25 people were hospitalized during Hong Kong protests on Saturday.

Multiple skirmishes occurred earlier in the day between anti-government protesters and pro-Beijing supporters in the city.

According to RTHK broadcaster, 25 people who were injured in the clashes were hospitalised and most of them are stable.

The conflict initially started between the two groups of protesters in the morning in the Amoy Plaza mall, where several scuffles occurred.

A man with a Chinese flag hit a rival protester and he in turn was attacked by anti-government activists with umbrellas, which are a symbol of the pro-democracy movement.

The riot police arrived at the scene, blocked the entrance to the mall and detained many people, the broadcaster said.

Earlier this month, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced her decision to formally withdraw the controversial extradition bill, which had initially caused mass violent protests in the city in early June and had grown into a full-blown opposition movement.

Pro-democracy protesters are demanding not only the withdrawal of the controversial initiative but also Lam's resignation, the retraction of the government's classification of the violent clashes as riots, an independent inquiry into police violence and the release of everyone arrested in the conflict.