Six Suffer Burns As Chemical Thrown Down From Building At Hong Kong Protesters

Six people sustained injuries Thursday night when they were struck by a corrosive liquid, probably drain cleaner, that had been tossed from a Hong Kong residential building.

This happened just after the conclusion of a pro-democracy rally in a shopping center close to the Lei Chak House on the Ap Lei Chau Estate on the south side of Hong Kong Island. The “Estate” is a public housing development.

The active ingredient in drain cleaner is sodium hydroxide, a common chemical used in many industries. The first response to exposure is to rinse the affected area with copious amounts of water and then seek medical attention if the area of exposure is large enough to warrant a trip to the emergency room.

In Thursday’s incident, other people helped rinse the wounds of the four men and two women and five of them were later taken to Queen Mary Hospital in Pok Fu Lam. Police began an investigation in the building, but no arrests have been reported. Witnesses told Democratic Party community officer Chan Po-ming that three bottles of drain cleaner were thrown from the building and that glass bottles were also hurled.

The nearly 4-month protests started as a demand for the formal withdrawal of an extradition bill. By the time Chief Executive Carrie Lamm made the formal withdrawal the protester’s demands had grown to include an inquiry into the police’s handling of the protesters and greater calls for democracy. Demonstrators held Thursday rallies at several shopping malls around the city.

Recent mall rallies have been aided by an anonymous composer who created a music video and song titled “Glory to Hong Kong.” This has turned some rallies into a “sing-off” between pro-Chinese and pro-Democracy voices where the sheer numbers of pro-Democracy voices drown out their adversaries.

Chan Po-ming asked the Housing Department in charge of running the Ap Lei Chau Estate for security camera footage to assist in the investigation. The police have also banned additional weekend rallies to avoid more violence. At least one person at the rally took to social media to condemn the actions against people who were “just singing.”