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‘Force is one of our methods’ masked Hong Kong protesters reveal on VIDEO ‘Force is one of our methods’: Hong Kong protesters don’t hide vandalism & violence in new VIDEO
(about 13 hours later)
A number of masked, black-clad protesters in Hong Kong are very organized and do not hesitate to use force against police or property, video footage from the autonomous Chinese city shows. Once billed as peaceful activists, Hong Kong’s masked, armed protesters are no longer camera-shy as they destroy property and clash with police, video footage from the semi-autonomous Chinese city shows.
Video filmed by the news agency Ruptly on Sunday shows black-clad protesters preparing for confrontation with police, dismantling sidewalks to collect rubble as projectiles. They also smashed windows and barricaded the entrance of one MTR subway station. In video filmed by Ruptly, black-clad demonstrators are seen preparing for yet another confrontation with police. Wielding metal rods, the protesters tear up the city’s sidewalks, then break the rubble into small parts for use as projectiles. With their faces covered, the ‘democracy’ activists hurl rocks at police, who respond with tear gas.
“Using force is one of our methods, one of our methods to protect ourselves and to protest, since the fire is our war,” one of the masked protesters told Ruptly. The Ruptly footage also shows smashed windows and a crudely made barricade at the entrance of one of the city’s subway stations. With video cameras rolling, the protesters hurl objects down the flight of stairs leading to the subway entrance, apparently in hopes of preventing Hong Kong citizens from using the transit system.
Violence is what the police do, he added, while “protesters are not using violence. They just use force to protect themselves and protect those peaceful protesters." In another clip from the video, protesters are seen using metal poles to destroy a traffic light.
Video from the Sunday protests showed demonstrators throwing objects at police, who responded with tear gas. All of these actions are perfectly justified, according to one masked protesters who spoke with Ruptly. “Using force is one of our methods to protect ourselves and to protest,” he said.
The group of about 100 or so militant protesters wore dark clothing, gas masks and face masks, and appeared well organized, moving in groups. “Protesters are not using violence. They just use force to protect themselves and protect those peaceful protesters.”
After protesters started smashing up the MTR station, the black-clad group moved away and marched off. Over the past two weeks, riot police have been attacked with rocks and petrol bombs – violence which the demonstrators have defended as self-defense.
Protests in the autonomous city began in late March over a proposed law allowing extradition to the Chinese mainland. Although the authorities have withdrawn the bill since, the demonstrators have made additional demands for democracy, while brandishing US and UK flags and clashing with police. Countless videos have documented intimidation tactics and outright violence used by the so-called ‘pro-democracy’ protesters. Taking particular interest in the city’s subway system, the demonstrators have been seen destroying turnstiles and assaulting commuters.
A former British colony for over a century, Hong Kong was restored to Chinese rule in 1997.   Protests in the autonomous city began in late March over a proposed law allowing extradition to the Chinese mainland. Although the authorities have since withdrawn the bill, the demonstrators have made additional demands, while brandishing US and UK flags and clashing with police. 
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