US condemns latest Hong Kong violence, urges both sides to de-escalate

US condemns latest Hong Kong violence, urges both sides to de-escalate
November 12, 2019, 12:17 pm

People cross a road after protesters threw bricks onto it in order to stop traffic passing in the Causeway Bay area of Hong Kong on November 11, 2019. (AFP)

The United States on Monday condemned “unjustified use of deadly force” in the latest Hong Kong violence and urged police and civilians alike to de-escalate the situation, a senior Trump administration official said.

The US statement came after Hong Kong police shot and critically wounded a protester and a man was set on fire in violence that prompted leader Carrie Lam to denounce “enemies of the people.”

“Hong Kong police and civilians alike have a responsibility to de-escalate and avoid violent confrontations,” the US administration official said, speaking on condition of anonymity, after a weekend of stepped-up clashes in pro-democracy protests across the Chinese-ruled territory, a former British colony.

On Monday, Hong Kong police said that they are investigating reports that a man was set alight following a heated argument on a day of widespread protests across the city, as videos of the purported attack surfaced online.

source:Reuters

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