This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/15/hong-kong-minister-falls-during-furious-protest-in-london

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Hong Kong minister falls during furious protest in London Police to investigate as Hong Kong minister falls to ground during protest in London
(about 1 hour later)
Video shows Teresa Cheng falling as demonstrators shout ‘shame on you’Video shows Teresa Cheng falling as demonstrators shout ‘shame on you’
Hong Kong’s justice minister, Teresa Cheng, fell to the ground after being surrounded by furious pro-democracy demonstrators outside an event in London. The Metropolitan police are investigating an incident on Thursday evening when Hong Kong’s justice minister, Teresa Cheng, fell to the ground after being surrounded by furious pro-democracy demonstrators outside an event in central London.
The incident on Thursday night was the first direct altercation between demonstrators and a government minister since the protests, now in their sixth month, erupted in the international finance hub. The jostling was the first direct altercation between demonstrators and a Hong Kong government minister since protests, now in their sixth month, erupted in the international finance hub.
Video of the incident outside the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in Bloomsbury Square showed protesters surrounding and yelling “Shame on you” at the deeply unpopular cabinet official. She is then seen falling to the ground, though it is not clear if she was pushed. She regained her feet moments later and was escorted away with no visible signs of injury. Footage showed protesters, some wearing face-masks and carrying phone cameras, surrounding the deeply unpopular cabinet official and yelling “shame on you”. Cheng is then seen falling to the floor, although it is not clear from video footage if she was pushed. Some protesters said she tripped on a pavement as she was jostled.
Hong Kong’s leader, Carrie Lam, said in a statement that Cheng had suffered “serious bodily harm” during the altercation. She described the behaviour of the protesters involved as “barbaric” and a violation of “the principles of a civilised society”. Cheng regained her feet moments later and was escorted away with no immediately visible signs of injury.
The Chinese embassy in the UK said Cheng was pushed to the ground and sustained a hand injury. The Chinese embassy in the UK issued a strongly worded statement saying Cheng was pushed to the ground and had sustained a hand injury, and urged the British police to investigate.
“(Cheng) was besieged and attacked by dozens of anti-China and pro-independence activists,” the embassy said in a statement. The incident showed that the “violent and lawless perpetrators” were taking their violence abroad, it said. “We express strong indignation and unequivocally condemn the activists,” the embassy said. “The violent and lawless perpetrators who organised via online communication committed flagrant assault on the senior official of the Hong Kong SAR government. It has once again proved that their real intention is to destabilise Hong Kong, paralyse the SAR government and undermine ‘One Country, Two Systems.
China has lodged a formal complaint with Britain and urged British authorities to investigate. “Now, they are taking such violence abroad and into the UK. Their action deserves to be condemned not only by the entire Chinese people including the Hong Kong compatriots but also by the British public and the international community unanimously”.
Cheng is in London on a visit to promote Hong Kong’s role as a dispute resolution and deal-making hub. A complaint has been lodged by the Chinese embassy with the Foreign office, and Cheng herself in a statement urged the police to bring any alleged culprits to justice.
Cheng, whose department is in charge of prosecuting protesters who have filled city streets for months, is the first senior Hong Kong official to be injured in scuffles since the unrest began in June. Cheng was walking in the road with no obvious protection on the way to give a scheduled speech at the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in Bloomsbury, central London, when surrounded by a crowd. No police officers are visible.
She is one of the most unpopular government officials in Hong Kong, seen as playing a key role in pushing forward the now-shelved extradition bill to China, which sparked the unrest. She was later taken to hospital but discharged.
The protests have tipped into worsening violence with two people dead in a week and further protests planned for Friday. Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s chief executive, said in a statement that Cheng had suffered “serious bodily harm” during the altercation. She described the behaviour of the protesters involved as “barbaric” and a violation of “the principles of a civilised society”.
The Chinese have long been frustrated at the reluctance of the British government to condemn Hong Kong’s protesters more unequivocally. The UK government has supported the right for peaceful protest, and condemned police over-reaction.
Cheng is a detested figure among the protesters since her department is in charge of prosecuting protesters who have filled city streets for months.
She is also unpopular since she is regarded as having played a key role in pushing forward the now-shelved extradition bill to China, which sparked the unrest.
The Chartered Institute said in a statement Cheng had been invited as the first woman and past-president to deliver the institute’s prestigious Alexander Lecture in London. She was due to argue that Kong Kong was a hub for dispute resolution.
In Hong Kong, protests have tipped into worsening violence with two people dead in a week and further protests planned for Friday.
For a fifth straight day on Friday, protesters caused widespread disruption with barricades and rallies.For a fifth straight day on Friday, protesters caused widespread disruption with barricades and rallies.
Agence France-Presse contributed to this report