LONDON: Britain on Tuesday criticised police tactics against pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong, warning that the use of live rounds could heighten long-running tensions.
“Whilst there is no excuse for violence, the use of live ammunition is disproportionate, and only risks inflaming the situation,” Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement.
Hong Kong, a former British colony which was handed back to China in 1997, has been gripped by a wave of protests over the last four months.
Increasingly violent confrontations between demonstrators and the police saw a young protester shot on Tuesday, just hours after China marked 70 years of Communist Party rule.
Raab said the shooting again showed the need for “constructive dialogue” between both sides.
“We need to see restraint and a de-escalation from both protesters and the Hong Kong authorities,” he added.