Hong Kong Youth Face Military Crackdown While Fighting “One of the Most Unequal Societies Anywhere”

China held its largest military parades ever in Beijing this week to mark 70 years of Communist rule. Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, police escalated violence Tuesday by firing live ammunition at demonstrators for the first time in the months-long protests. In a widely viewed video posted online, a riot police officer is seen firing his gun into the chest of 18-year-old protester Tony Tsang. The teenager is reportedly in stable condition. Police also fired tear gas and water cannons, while protesters were seen throwing Molotov cocktails. Ninety-six protesters were arrested on Tuesday on rioting charges. For more on the Hong Kong protests, we speak with Kevin Lin, China Program officer at the International Labor Rights Forum. He was born and raised in Beijing, and has spent years researching the labor movement and civil society in China. His recent piece for Jacobin is headlined “Four Points on the Hong Kong Protests.” He is also the author of “How Should the U.S. Left Think About China?” in the journal New Politics.

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