(Bloomberg) -- The first Hong Kong protester shot during months of unrest has been charged by police with rioting and assaulting an officer.
Authorities on Thursday charged the 18-year-old with rioting and assaulting a police officer amid widespread protests and violent clashes on Oct. 1. The police said the officer fired his weapon in self defense at the man, who was hospitalized but expected to survive after being shot in the chest.
Videos of the incident show a group of protesters armed with pipes and other weapons chasing riot police before one of the officers fired his gun. The protester who was shot appeared to swing a pipe or rod at the officer before the gun was fired.
Police subsequently defended the officer, saying he only fired his gun because he believed his life and the lives of other officers were at risk. Protesters have condemned what they said were aggressive tactics by the police force, and plan additional protests this weekend.
To contact the reporters on this story: Iain Marlow in Hong Kong at imarlow1@bloomberg.net;Natalie Lung in Hong Kong at flung6@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Brendan Scott at bscott66@bloomberg.net, Daniel Ten Kate
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