As many as 48 police personnel were injured and at lest 24 rioters arrested when some 300 rioters clashed with Hong Kong police after a clearance operation on illegal hawkers from late Monday to Tuesday morning.
The riot erupted after a handful illegal street vendors refused to halt business in Mong Kok, a busy commercial district, and clashed with law enforcement officials. Rioters then arrived and confronted with the police reinforcement.
After one and a half hour of confrontation, the rioters attacked the police with bricks, stones and other makeshift weapons. The police were forced to fire two warning shots in a bid to rescue their personnel. Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying condemned the rioters’ violent behavior on Tuesday morning and expressed his support to the police for their efforts in restoring peace.
