DANNY MOK DANNY.MOK@SCMP.COM
PUBLISHED : Thursday, 10 September, 2015, 12:23am
UPDATED : Thursday, 10 September, 2015, 1:02am
Traffic in Mong Kok ground to a halt on Wednesday night as dozens of public minibuses blocked a busy road in protest against police law enforcement.
The clash was triggered when a driver of a red-topped minibus was pulled over for crossing continuous double white lines shortly before 9pm, near the minibus terminal at Langham Place shopping mall on Shanghai Street.
Other drivers were called in by radio and about 20 minibuses were soon blocking all three lanes of the road. Queues of vehicles were backed up along Mong Kok Road and nearby roads, while bus passengers were seen getting off and walking away.
In the subsequent fracas, both sides claimed to have sustained injuries. An officer’s arm was hurt by a moving minibus during an argument, a police spokesman said. He called for assistance and was taken to Kwong Wah Hospital, Yau Ma Tei for treatment.
The driver of the minibus, who was later arrested, also requested treatment and was taken to the hospital.
Another minibus driver, who was part of the impromptu sit-in, said an officer had beaten a driver after issuing a ticket.
“A driver was given a ticket. He grumbled a bit. Then I saw the officer chasing him, slapping his vehicle and opening the door [of the minibus] and hitting him. I saw it … And [the officer] also gave him a ticket for ‘dangerous driving’,” he said.
Another driver said: “[The officer] gave chase before hitting the driver.”
Other minibus drivers at the site shouted: “Occupy Nathan Road!”
At about 11.30pm, the drivers agreed to move their vehicles and talk to the police.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1856859/occupy-nathan-road-minibus-drivers-bring-hong-kong-traffic
