US 'gravely concerned' at violence in HK

State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus called for restraint. Photo: AFP

The United States expressed "grave concern" late on Monday over the increasingly violent situation in Hong Kong and called for restraint by both security forces and protesters.



"The United States is watching the situation in Hong Kong with grave concern," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.



"We condemn violence on all sides, extend our sympathies to victims of violence regardless of their political inclinations, and call for all parties – police and protestors – to exercise restraint," Ortagus said.



Ortagus called on the Hong Kong government and the protesters to engage in dialogue, and urged Beijing to live up to its commitment to offer the SAR a high degree of autonomy and freedom of expression and assembly, which she described as "core values that we share with Hong Kong".



"We repeat President [Donald] Trump’s call for a humane resolution to the protests", she said. (AFP/RTHK)