U.s. Views situation in hong kong with “grave concern”

After one of the most violent days, protests and riots have continued in hong kong. From early morning demonstrators blocked streets. They also paralyzed parts of the local traffic in the chinese special administrative region.

Later, thousands of hongkongers marched through the streets to protest against the government and police violence. In many places there were heavy clashes between radical demonstrators and the police.

Hong kong on monday witnessed one of the most violent days since protests broke out more than five months ago. During the riot, a police officer shot a demonstrator in the stomach. The condition of the 21-year-old improved on tuesday, as the hospital authorities announced. By contrast, the condition of a government trailer set on fire by radical demonstrators remained critical. A total of 99 people were injured during monday’s protests, according to authorities. Police arrested 287 people.

Government leader carrie lam called the protesters’ actions on tuesday "extremely egotistical". They rejected calls to keep schools closed on tuesday because of the new protests. The government then fell into the trap of the demonstrators.

Because of the escalating violence, the U.S. Urged the hong kong government, protesters and other citizens to engage in dialogue. "The united states is monitoring the situation in hong kong with grave concern," U.S. Eagle ministry spokeswoman morgan ortagus said on monday evening (local time). "We condemn violence on all sides, extend our sympathy to the victims of violence regardless of their political affiliation, and call on all parties – the police and demonstrators – to exercise restraint."

The protests in the chinese special administrative region, which have been going on for more than five months, are directed against the government: the hongkongers criticize, among other things, china’s growing influence on the former crown colony. Since the handover to china in 1997, hong kong has been governed autonomously under the "one country, two systems" principle.

The government must make efforts to address the concerns underlying the protests, ortagus said. She also called on the leadership in beijing to abide by commitments: hong kong must be given a high degree of autonomy, and people must be able to enjoy freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

The latest wave of protests in hong kong followed the death of a demonstrator last week. The 22-year-old student had fallen from a parking garage on the edge of protests. Riots broke out again over the weekend.

The protests were sparked by controversial plans by the head of government, lam, for an extradition law. This had also allowed people suspected by the chinese judicial system to be extradited to china. The government finally relented and buried the law. But protesters are also demanding free elections, an independent investigation into police brutality and immunity from prosecution for the more than 2,000 people who have already been arrested. The resignation of head of government lam is also one of their demands.