Police fires warning shots in Hong Kong riot

Hong Kong police officers wearing batons fired warning shot during Tuesday first hours after riot ensued from an attempt by the authorities to disperse street sellers during the Chinese new year.

Images shot by the televesion show police officer pointing his gun towards protesters who were throwing bricks, bottles and wooden palets at the police of the former British colony.

These incidents that occurred at Mongkok, a densely populated area located in Hong Kong continental part, are the most serious ones since pro-democraty demonstrations in Autumn 2014.

Among the protesters were to be found members of the "localist" movement that fights against Beijin's influence in Hong Kong, and who were trying to defend the seller, saying that they were participating in the festive atmosphere.Some of these "localists" even seek Hong kong to declare its idependence.

The police claimed they took action after the protesters refused to take orders to disperse. The police justified these strong measures against the crowd in order to "insure public safety".

Thousands of demonstrators fully had paralyzed some districts, calling for a true universal suffrage for the designation of next Chief Executive in 2017.