hong kong protester
© REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
There were multiple violent clashes between police and protesters across Hong Kong throughout the weekend, but one shocking incident, in which a middle-aged man was beaten unconscious, has since become viral.

Though there were sporadic outbursts of violence reported in the region, one in particular saw a group of purported anti-Beijing protesters beat the 49-year-old man unconscious, a video of which has been viewed over 78,000 times.


Comment: Perhaps all those rooting for the HK protesters ought to stop and consider whether this behavior is worth defending because "yay spreading American freedom."


The unarmed man, dressed in a blue shirt and trousers, had reportedly shouted "I am Chinese!" during a confrontation with protesters, which turned ugly and extremely violent.


The nearby protesters apparently used their umbrellas, which have become a symbol of the demonstrations, to block surveillance cameras from seeing them as they beat the 49-year-old man unconscious.

The beating reportedly occurred at approximately 4:30pm local time on Sunday in the Wan Chai area of the city.

The man was later found lying in the street on Gloucester Road, where he was treated by paramedics. He was described as being in a critical condition before being transported to hospital, where he later stabilized.

Later Sunday, a South China Morning Post reporter highlighted that pro-Beijing supporters have also been caught attacking journalists and civilians in the streets as the ongoing demonstrations descend into chaos, despite concessions by the government regarding the controversial extradition law at the heart of the months-long protests.