The Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council Tuesday strongly condemned the escalation in violence in Hong Kong.
The remarks were made amid the escalating violence in Hong Kong. Rioters smashed shops, threw petrol bombs, beat people on the street and even set fire to an ordinary resident seen arguing with protesters.
Their brutal actions are far beyond the bottom line of morality and are by no means peaceful assembly or freedom of speech, said the statement.
Yang Guang, a spokesperson for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, also strongly condemned the criminal acts of Hong Kong rioters setting ordinary citizens on fire on the street, and expressed deep condolences to the victim and his family.
Yang stressed this kind of murder and arson in public is appalling and dehumanizing. It is a serious violation of the bottom line of law, morality and human civilization.
"We demand that the perpetrators be arrested as soon as possible and punished according to law," Yang said.
"We firmly support the HKSAR government, the police and the Judiciary to take more vigorous and effective actions to severely punish illegal and criminal behaviors, stop violence, restore order, protect the lives and property of Hong Kong residents, and ensure stability and peace in Hong Kong," Yang added.
It also refuted the groundless allegation made by the U.S. and U.K. politicians, adding that their allegation of the police's "unjustified use of deadly force," while at the same time ignoring rioters' brutal actions are an example of their ulterior motives.
The statement stressed that "violence must be stopped and crimes must be punished," urging politicians in the U.S. and the U.K. to discard their double standard and "wishful thinking" in meddling in Hong Kong affairs.
"We call on the international community to see through the lies of the situation in Hong Kong and support the Hong Kong SAR government in punishing violent crimes in order to avoid the wild spread of violence in Hong Kong," said the statement.
