Teenager shot by police in Hong Kong protests as China marks 70 years of Communist rule
Video report by ITV News Asia Correspondent Debi Edward
An 18-year-old has been shot and critically injured during a day of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, as mainland China celebrates the 70th anniversary of Communist rule.
The student was shot at point-blank range and hit in the chest.
ITV News Asia Correspondent Debi Edward reported that the bullet he was hit by "narrowly missed his heart" and that a man who came to his aide was tackled to the ground.
She added that another protester is in a critical condition, but the cause of their injuries are not known.
Hong Kong police said the student who was shot was one of a number of protesters who swarmed towards an officer.
Police Commissioner Stephen Lo defended the action as "reasonable and lawful", saying the officer feared for his life and had no other choice.
"The officer was under attack, his life was threatened," he said. "He made a very quick decision and shot the assailant. I believe it was his best judgment at the time."
The injured teenager was taken to hospital where he is in a critical condition.
While officers have previously fired warning shots in the air during months of protests in Hong Kong, this was the first time a protester is known to have been shot.
There were other instances on Tuesday when officers also drew their weapons, including two with bloodied faces who pointed pistols, as protesters and riot police fought fierce battles at multiple locations in the city.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has condemned the "disproportionate" use of live ammunition and urged "restraint" on all sides, while calling for dialogue to address the "legitimate concerns" of the Hong Kong people.
ITV News Asia Correspondent Debi Edward said the October 1 protests "had always been a point that the protesters were building up to".
Video of the shooting spread quickly on social media appeared to show the officer opening fire as the protester came at him with a metal rod, striking the officer's shooting arm.
Taken by the City University Student Union, it showed a dozen black-clad protesters hurling objects at a group of riot police and closing in on the lone officer who pointed his pistol and opened fire.
The protester toppled backwards on to the street, bleeding from below his left shoulder.
As another protester rushed in to try to drag away the wounded youth and was tackled by an officer, a petrol bomb landed in the middle of the group of officers in an explosion of flames.
The shooting marked a dramatic escalation in violence that spread chaos to multiple areas of China's freest and most international city.
The injured student was one of an estimated 100,000 pro-democracy protesters who took to the streets in the semi-autonomous territory.
While the demonstrations began peacefully, they escalated and saw protesters throw petrol bombs and clashed with police.
Police responded with tear gas, water canons, and the live round which hit the 18-year-old.
A security clampdown to thwart violence that would embarrass Chinese President Xi Jinping failed to deter the protesters.
Many chanted anti-China slogans and some carried Chinese flags defaced with a black cross,others tossed wads of fake "hell" bank notes usually used at funerals into the air.
"The leaders who won't listen to our voice, this is for them," said marcher Ray Luk.
Activist Lee Cheuk-yan added: "Today we are out to tell the Communist Party that Hong Kong people have nothing to celebrate.
“We are mourning that in 70 years of Communist Party rule, the democratic rights of people in Hong Kong and China are being denied. We will continue to fight.”
Shopping centres across Hong Kong were shut in anticipation of protests.
Posters plastered across the region called the 70th anniversary of China's Communist rule as a "Day of Grief".
Thousands of people confronted police in multiple locations across the city, the largest number of simultaneous protests since the unrest began in early June over a now-shelved extradition bill that activists say was an example of how Hong Kong's freedoms and citizen rights are being eroded.
The movement has snowballed into an anti-Chinese campaign with demands for direct elections for the city's leaders and police accountability.
Mr Raab's intervention is likely to infuriate the Chinese government which was determined to prevent the demonstrations upstaging its anniversary celebrations.
Beijing is acutely sensitive to any criticism by foreign powers - particularly the UK.
Hong Kong was a British colony for more than 150 years until it was returned to China in 1997.
Under the terms of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, the territory is supposed to enjoy a "high degree of autonomy", with its social and economic systems remaining unchanged for 50 years.
However, the Chinese government has strongly rejected the idea that this gives the UK any continuing role in Hong Kong.
Following earlier criticism of the authorities' handling of the demonstrations over the summer, the Chinese ambassador Liu Xiaoming warned Britain not to interfere, accusing some politicians of acting as if it was still "part of the British empire".
Black-clad Yvonne Ng, 67, fumed over the arrest of many young people in the months-long protests.
“We’re not celebrating National Day,” she said as she walked through the Causeway Bay shopping district.
LIHKG, a popular online chat forum used by protesters, was down on mobile phones, believed to have been hacked to prevent activists from speaking.
The smell of tear gas and smoke from street fires started by protesters engulfed the Wan Chai, Wong Tai Sin, Sha Tin, Tuen Mun, Tsuen Wan and Tsim Sha Tsui areas.
Protesters hurled petrol bombs, bricks and other objects at police, who responded with volleys of tear gas.
Protesters used umbrellas as shields and threw tear gas canisters back at officers.
Police said protesters used corrosive fluid in Tuen Mun, injuring officers and some reporters.
In Wong Tai Sin, a petrol bomb hurled at police exploded near motorcycles parked along a pavement, creating a large blaze that was put out by firefighters. Some protesters placed an emergency water hose down a subway station to try to flood it.
A water cannon truck sprayed blue water, used to identify protesters, to disperse crowds from advancing to government offices in the city.
Scores of police officers also stood guard near Beijing's liaison office as the battles continued.
The protests contrasted with Beijing's anniversary festivities marked with a colourful parade and display of new missile technology.
Beijing celebrated 70 years of Communist rule with an extravagant display of military strength which lasted throughout the day and into the evening.
Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam, who was in Beijing for the ceremony, smiled as a Hong Kong float passed by.
Hong Kong chief secretary Matthew Cheung told hundreds of guests at a reception that the city had become "unrecognisable" due to the violent acts of protesters.
Mr Cheung was speaking on behalf of Ms Lam.
Mr Cheung said Beijing fully supports the “one country, two systems” framework that gives Hong Kong freedoms and rights not enjoyed on the mainland.