Hong Kong protesters face off with police in mall protests

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong riot police swept into several shopping malls on Saturday, chasing off and arresting some anti-government Hong Kong demonstrators who had gathered to press their demands in the peak shopping weekend before Christmas.

Riot police push back a shopper as Hong Kong protesters march in Harbour City shopping mall in Hong Kong, China, December 21, 2019. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

In a mall in Yuen Long, close to the China border, hundreds of black-clad protesters marked the five-month anniversary of an attack in a train station by an armed mob wearing white T-shirts which beat up bystanders and protesters with pipes and poles.
Police have been criticized for not responding quickly enough to calls for help, and for not arresting any alleged culprits at the scene. They later made several arrests and said the assailants had links to organized criminal gangs, or triads.
The protesters demanded justice for the attack, shouting “Fight for Freedom” and “Stand With Hong Kong”.
“The government didn’t do anything so far after 5 months ... I deserve an answer, an explanation,” said a 30-year-old clerk surnamed Law.