US condemns latest Hong Kong violence, urges both sides to de-escalate

The United States on Monday condemned “unjustified use of deadly force” in the latest Hong Kong violence and urged police and civilians alike to de-escalate the situation, a senior Trump administration official said.

The US statement came after Hong Kong police shot and critically wounded a protester and a man was set on fire in violence that prompted leader Carrie Lam to denounce “enemies of the people.”

“Hong Kong police and civilians alike have a responsibility to de-escalate and avoid violent confrontations,” the US administration official said, speaking on condition of anonymity, after a weekend of stepped-up clashes in pro-democracy protests across the Chinese-ruled territory, a former British colony.

On Monday, Hong Kong police said that they are investigating reports that a man was set alight following a heated argument on a day of widespread protests across the city, as videos of the purported attack surfaced online.