Hong Kong: 6 injured after fireworks let off at crowd

At least six protesters suffered injuries in the early hours of Wednesday when fireworks were let off from a vehicle directed at the crowd who had gathered outside a police station here to protest against the rioting charges on their fellow demonstrators.

The protesters had gathered at two police stations in Kwai Chung and Tin Shui Wai on Tuesday night and clashed with the police forces after 45 agitators were charged for rioting and possessing offensive weapons, South China Morning Post reported.

At Kwai Chung, tensions flared when police used pepper spray on the crowd in an attempt to clear them while the 45 people were charged with rioting.

The situation was no different in Tin Shui Wai, where another mob gathered outside the police station after two people were arrested from a nearby "Lennon Wall", where demonstrators had posted messages criticising the now-abandoned extradition bill.

With the situation remaining tense, a vehicle drove past the Tin Shui Wai police station at around 2:30 am (local time) and let off several fireworks at the crowd, sending the people scurrying for cover.

The injured were rushed to Tin Shui Wai Hospital for medical treatment but were discharged after a few hours.

Hong Kong has seen eight consecutive weeks of anti-government protests that began against a now-suspended extradition bill, that have since broadened to include calls for democracy and police accountability.

Earlier on Tuesday, thousands of commuters had a harrowing time after protesters blocked metro train services during the morning rush hour.

Multiple protests sometimes violent continue to take place in the semi-autonomous state despite the city's pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam publicly apologising for proposing the controversial legislation and announcing later that the bill was "dead".