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Wednesday May 2, 12:54 PMMan hit by Macau police bullet during protest
The man said he was struck in the neck by a falling bullet when police opened fire Tuesday afternoon as the protest by labour unions suddenly turned violent. Media reports in Macau, a former Portuguese enclave famed for its glitzy casinos, and in nearby Hong Kong said doctors had to remove a metal object from the man's lung after it hit him in the neck and passed through his body. A government statement said the man, aged in his fifties, had been hit as he rode a motorcycle some 300 metres from where police began shooting. But officials said they had not yet been unable to verify if the object was a police bullet and that they had launched an investigation. Live bullets were fired above the crowd of more than 1,000 as protesters tried to break through police cordons during the march, called to protest against labour shortages and illegal immigration in the city of half a million. The gunshots sparked chaotic scenes as some protesters tried to flee but others pressed on in the hope of marching on downtown government offices. Riot police called in reinforcements and a five-hour stand off began, punctuated by occasional clashes in which protesters hurled water bottles and placards at officers. Witnesses and TV news images detailed how protesters were pulled from the crowd by their hair and others were beaten by police. Reports said some police also used pepper spray to keep the angry mob back. A government statement said 900 police had been called in to to ease the violence and that 21 of them had been injured in the scuffles while 10 protesters had been arrested. Organisers of the protest criticised the police reaction as heavy-handed. But the Macau government Wednesday said shooting above the crowd was an "appropriate measure". "Demonstrations should be carried out in a lawful manner and pose no threats to normal social and economic activities, and to other people's lawful rights," the statement read. "The government stressed its determination to maintain the rule of law and social order and any attempt to disrupt Macau's stable development would not be tolerated," it added. Marchers took to the streets in protest at what they say are poor pay and conditions for local unskilled workers at a time when Macau is experiencing double-digit economic growth. They allege there has been a huge rise in the use of cheap illegal labour, mostly from China and Philippines, which is threatening jobs and conditions. Macau's economy is booming thanks to a recent influx of mostly American investment dollars into the city's gaming industry. |
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