
Hong Kong police have urged the public to stay indoors after an 18-year-old protester was shot in the chest with a live round by an anti-riot officer during a clash.

Another policeman has been filmed shouting at random onlookers, threatening to throw Molotov cocktails at 'rioter' protesters as the city is rocked by unprecedented level of violence amid China's National Day celebrations.

The injured demonstrator was hit in the chest by a police officer in the city's Tsuen Wan district this afternoon and was taken to Princess Margaret Hospital.

The bullet punctured one of his lungs and was lodged in his chest only an inch from his heart. The teenager is a secondary school pupil and was in critical condition, according to reports.

According to latest reports, surgeons have removed the main part of the bullet from the teenager. His heart, liver and spine were not affected by the shot.

Footage posted by The Hong Kong University Students' Union shows a police officer drawing the gun and shooting a male activist at close range as the protester beat the officer with a baton.

UK has called the use of live ammunition 'disproportionate'.

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A male Hong Kong protester has been shot in the chest by a live bullet during clashes. Footage above captures the moment

The wounded activist is seen being taken to hospital. He is said to be in critical condition after being shot in the chest

A handout picture shows the injured activist being given first aid before being taken to Princess Margaret Hospital

Sky News footage shows a man bleeding from his head during clashes on Tuesday as the city descended into lockdown

One policeman has been filmed shouting at random onlookers, threatening to throw Molotov cocktails at 'rioter'. It is not clear if the policeman pictured is the one threatening onlookers

Motorbikes are on fire after they were hit with a molotov cocktail during a protest on China's National Day, in Wong Tai Sin, Hong Kong

A riot policeman detains an anti-government protester during the widespread demonstrations on China's National Day on Tuesday

A video circulating on Facebook shows the agonising victim asking onlookers to help him as he lay on the ground

The man was shot in the chest by a police officer whose unit had been attacked by demonstrators, said a police source

Footage shared by The Education University of Hong Kong Students' Union on Facebook shows a police officer threatening to throw petrol bombs at 'rioters' while yelling and pointing his baton at random bystanders on a street in Hong Kong

Strife-torn Hong Kong today marked the 70th anniversary of the founding of Communist China with defiant 'Day of Grief' protests (pictured)

Strife-torn Hong Kong today marked the 70th anniversary of the founding of Communist China with defiant 'Day of Grief' protests.

Fresh clashes occurred between pro-democracy activists and police after tens of thousands of demonstrators ignored a ban on marches and took to the streets.

Organisers said at least 100,000 people marched along a broad city thoroughfare in defiance of a police ban.

The protests quickly became ugly.

A black-clad protester walks past flames rising from a fire in Hong Kong after the city witnessed a day of blood and violence

Police charge towards protesters in Wan Chai. Protesters were filmed throwing eggs at President Xi's portrait in the area

Police fire tear gas to disperse anti-government protesters in Hong Kong. Officers fired three live bullets today during clashes

Black-clad protestors stand surrounded by smoke from tear gas shells in Hong Kong on what they call the 'Day of Grief'

While the rest of China is celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Communist regime, Hong Kong has been plunged into chaos

The financial hub was turned into multiple battlefields with pro-democracy protesters hurling petrol bombs and anti-riot police firing live gunshots as well as tear gas.

Clashes took place in at least 12 areas across the city. Live ammunition was fired in two locations and tear gas was fired in at least six districts.

More than a third of the city's subway station were closed during the chaos.

The city's leader Carrie Lam was in Beijing today to observe the grand military parade in celebration of the Communist regime.

A riot police officer points his projectile launcher as his colleagues detain demonstrators in the Sha Tin district of Hong Kong

Police detain demonstrators in the Sha Tin district of Hong Kong after the city was turned into battlefields due to unrest

A protester sets fire to the Chinese national flag in the Sha Tin district as the rest of the country celebrates the National Day

A fire lit by protesters burn in the Sha Tin district of Hong Kong as violent demonstrations take place in the streets of the city

Social media footage shows protesters pelting a portrait of China's President Xi Jinping with eggs in Hong Kong on Tuesday

People take part in a march in the Causeway Bay in Hong Kong on Tuesday as the city defies Beijing's National Day festivities

The police officer shot the young protester after his unit was attacked by demonstrators during sustained clashes in the city, a police source said.

'An officer discharged his firearm after coming under attack and a protester was struck in the chest in Tsuen Wan district today,' the source said, requesting anonymity.

The protester was shot at around 4:10pm on Tai Ho Street and was taken to hospital about 20 minutes later.

A video circulating on Facebook shows the agonising victim asking onlookers to help him as he lay on the ground.

He said: 'Send me to hospital. My chest is hurting. I need to go to hospital.'

He said in the clip that his name was Tsang Tsz Kin.

The protester is a fifth-form pupil in a secondary school, a family member of his told Apple Daily.

A Hospital Authority spokeswoman told AFP that 15 people had been admitted to hospitals across the city following today's clashes, one of whom was in a critical condition at Princess Margaret.

She would not confirm if the critical patient was the man who had been shot.

A spokesperson of Hong Kong police said the officer was forced to shoot the 'assailant' to save his and his colleagues' lives.

Police described the incident as 'heart-breaking', adding they did not wish to see anyone injured.

The spokesperson then urged: 'All rioters must stop all illegal acts. Police will continue to enforce the law seriously.'

Police appealed to the public to stay at home and avoid going outdoors in the 'dangerous' situation.

Britain's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that the use of live ammunition by Hong Kong police was disproportionate.

'Whilst there is no excuse for violence, the use of live ammunition is disproportionate, and only risks inflaming the situation,' Raab said in a statement.

'This incident underlines the need for a constructive dialogue to address the legitimate concerns of the people of Hong Kong. We need to see restraint and a de-escalation from both protesters and the Hong Kong authorities.'

Riot police is seen getting ready for clashes during an anti-government protest in Sham Shui Po district in Hong Kong

Anti-government protesters set tires on fire as they occupy a road during a banned protest on National Day in Hong Kong

An anti-government protester shelters with a traffic sign during a demonstration as multiple rallies take place in the city

Thousands of black-clad protesters marched in central Hong Kong as part of multiple pro-democracy rallies on Tuesday

Protesters take cover after police fired tear gas during a demonstration in the Sham Shui Po area in Hong Kong on Tuesday

In a separate incident, a video clip shared by the editorial board of The Education University of Hong Kong Students' Union shows an anti-riot police shouting at citizens emotionally.

The uniformed man chanted to bystanders: 'I am going to throw petrol bombs, throw petrol bombs, throw petrol bombs at rioters.'

Hong Kong police also fired live bullets during a clash with anti-government protesters in Yau Ma Tei.

Police fired two warning shots outside the metro station this afternoon to disperse activists after a number of isolated officers had been attacked by the crowd, according to local media.

Demonstrators fled after the gun shots and some officers sustained bleeding on the head, reported Hong Kong's Now TV.

Another male protester in Wong Tai Sin was shot in the left eye by what's believed to be a bean bag round, reported 01HK.

The city's anti-riot officers have been mostly using less lethal bean bag rounds to drive away protesters during anti-government rallies in the past three months. They fired the first live gun shot on August 25 during clashes.

Protesters were also filmed throwing eggs at President Xi's portrait outside a sports ground in Wan Chai while police fired tear gas during scuffles. Some activists were also seen burning a Chinese national flag.

Protesters burn a Chinese national flag during a march through the streets of Hong Kong to voice their anger towards Beijing

An anti-government protester tosses back a tear gas grenade during clashes with police after defying a ban to demonstrate

Riot police detain an anti-government protester during a demonstration in Sha Tin district as Hong Kong activists defy Beijing

Riot police fired tear gas to disperse pro-democracy protesters in several districts in Hong Kong amid multiple rallies

Battles between hundreds of black-clad protesters and police occurred in multiple locations, turning streets into battlefields

Dozens of police officers formed a security cordon, backed by a water cannon truck, to prevent protesters from advancing to Beijing's liaison office in the city.

Battles between hundreds of black-clad protesters and police occurred in multiple locations, turning streets into battlefields.

Police fired multiple rounds of tear gas at the Wong Tai Sin, Sha Tin, Tsuen Wan and Tuen Mun areas as protesters hurled gas bombs, bricks and other objects in their direction.

Police said protesters used corrosive fluid in Tuen Mun, injuring officers and some reporters.

The city was already under tight security, and more subway stations were shuttered as the violence spread.

Ceremonial 'joss paper' used in memory of those who died for democracy flutters around a protester wearing a Guy Fawkes mask during a demonstration in the Sham Shui Po on Tuesday. Hong Kong protesters have called today the 'Day of Grief'

Protesters pave the streets with fake bank notes they usually use at funerals, tossing wads of them into the air as they march

Protesters set fire to debris in the street during an anti-government demonstration in the Admiralty area in Hong Kong

Police use blue-dyed water to disperse anti-government protesters in Hong Kong after thousands took to the street

Activists are determined to overshadow Beijing's festivities, using the anniversary to step up their nearly four months of protests pushing for greater democratic freedoms and police accountability.

Thousands marched through the streets of Hong Kong island this afternoon, despite authorities rejecting an application to hold a rally there as police warned people 'to leave the scene as soon as possible'.

Demonstrators chanted slogans including 'fight for freedom, stand with hong kong' and some donned the Guy Fawkes masks as a symbol of defiance against the government.

Protesters take evasive action as police fire tear gas in the Sha Tin district. Hong Kong has been plunged into further chaos

A security clampdown to thwart violence that would embarrass Chinese President Xi Jinping failed to deter the protests

Thousands of people confronted police across the city, the largest number of simultaneous protests since early June

The movement has snowballed into an anti-Chinese campaign with demands for direct elections for the city's leaders

Protesters paved the streets of central Hong Kong with fake bank notes they usually use at funerals, tossing wads of them into the air as they marched in black.

The notes, many marked 'Hell Bank Note', were a vivid expression of what many protesters say feels like a day of mourning for them as Communist leaders in Beijing celebrate 70 years in power.

Smaller crowds rallied in a number of other districts with clashes quickly breaking out.

Hong Kong police use pepper-spray during a clash with pro-democracy protesters who were carrying a mock coffin

Police fire tear gas at anti-government protesters at Sha Tin after activists participated in a banned march on Tuesday

Police fire tear gear to disperse protesters in Tsuen Wan district during a rally that has marred China's 70th National Day

Battles between hundreds of black-clad protesters and police occurred in multiple locations, turning streets into battlefields

In Tsuen Wan, masked protesters used umbrellas and sticks to beat riot officers after they made a series of arrests. The officers retreated into a nearby town hall after they came under a barrage of projectiles.

In Wong Tai Sin, police fired brief volleys of tear gas against protesters who had blocked nearby roads.

The biggest march remained on Hong Kong island, a frequent battlefield between police and protesters where multiple malls and shops remained shuttered for the public holiday.

'Three months on and our five demands have yet to be achieved. We need to continue our fight,' a protester, wearing a Guy Fawkes or 'V for Vendetta' mask, told AFP.

Anti-government protesters hold umbrellas - a symbol of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement - while marching Tuesday

Multiple rallies are taking place in Hong Kong in defiance of a police ban as protesters vent their anger at central government

Umbrellas are seen on the floor as anti-government activists march through the streets in protest on National Day

Anti-government protesters build a barricade in Sha Tin district as they ready themselves for possible clashes with police

Anti-government protesters walk with a flag that reads 'liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times' during a rally on Tuesday

Anti-government protesters with the Guy Fawkes masks look at crowds marching past police headquarters in Hong Kong

The protests came as lavish celebrations were taking place in Beijing, including a huge military parade through Tiananmen Square under the gaze of China's strongman President Xi Jinping.

Among those watching the parade was Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam, who has historically low approval ratings at home as public anger boils over Beijing's increased control of the semi-autonomous city.

Millions have hit the streets in record-breaking numbers while hardcore activists have repeatedly clashed with police, in the biggest challenge to China's rule since the city's 1997 handover by Britain.

In a vivid illustration of the political insecurity now coursing through Hong Kong, city officials watched a morning harbourside flag-raising ceremony from the safety of the nearby convention centre.

Members of the media (in yellow vests) look on as Hong Kong police fire water cannon from the central government complex toward protesters who have defied a ban on protests and gathered in the street in the Admiralty area in Hong Kong

An anti-government protester walks in front of graffiti during a protest in Sha Tin district as the city is rocked by fresh rallies

An anti-government protester walks in a cloud of tear gas during a protest in Sha Tin district after clashes broke out

Since the 1997 handover, officials had always attended the ceremony outside, even during torrential downpours.

But popular protests that erupted in June have made it increasingly risky for officials to appear in public.

A flag-raising ceremony on July 1 - the anniversary of Hong Kong's handover - was also watched from indoors as protesters flooded the streets and later laid siege to the city's legislature.

Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung delivered an address in which he praised China's development over the last 70 years.

Xi Jinping, wearing a grey jacket in echoes of modern China's founding father Mao Zedong, watches the parade from the Gate of Heavenly Peace, where Mao proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic of China 70 years before

China has the second-highest military budget in the world, behind only the USA, and it has been growing at 10 per cent every year for the last decade. Pictured are Chinese troops on parade holding what appears to be a QBZ-03 assault rifle, though could be a new design after rumours began circulating last year that it was replacing the two-decade-old weapon

A large part of China's military budget goes towards maintaining the largest standing army in the world, with over 2million men and women in uniform. Pictured are soldiers of the People's Liberation Army holding bullpup QBZ-95 rifles while marching through the streets of Beijing during a rehearsal

Chinese troops march past Tiananmen Square during a military parade marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in Beijing

Another never-before-seen weapon on display was the JL-2 submarine-launched intercontinental ballistic missile. The weapon has an estimated range of 5,600 miles and is capable of delivering nuclear warheads, though exactly how many remains unclear

Unveiled for the first time at the parade was the Dongfeng-100 intermediate range missile, a hypersonic weapon that is designed to be used against large warships. It is the development of weapons such as this that caused America to back out of the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces treaty with Russia, saying it needed to be able to combat them with missiles of its own

While Hong Kong is rocked by yet another round of rallies and clashes, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam (left) sits behind former Macau chief executive Edmund Ho as they attend a military parade in Tiananmen Square in Beijing

But he said officials recognised they needed 'new thinking to try to address deep-rooted problems' in Hong Kong.

Throughout the morning police ramped up security checks and conducted frequent stop and searches while authorities announced the closure of a dozen subway stations.

But the measures did little to halt crowds appearing in the afternoon.

Rival pro-China rallies were also held.

Beijing supporters wave the Chinese national flags during a celebration ceremony in Hong Kong on the country's anniversary

Beijing supporters wave Chinese flags on the Star Ferry from Central to Tsim Sha Tsui as the nation celebrate the National Day

A group of pro-China demonstrators display a massive national flag (bottom) and a flag of the Communist Party of China (top)

A China supporter poses with a China national flag after a celebration ceremony in Hong Kong on Tuesday

In the morning, a crowd of some 50 people waved flags and chanted 'Long live the motherland!'

'We are Chinese and the whole nation is celebrating,' Kitty Chan, 30, told AFP.

Hong Kong's protests were initially sparked by a now scrapped plan to allow extraditions to the mainland but have since snowballed into a much wider movement of popular anger against city leaders and Beijing.

Among the demands made by protesters is an inquiry into the police, an amnesty for the more than 1,500 people arrested and universal suffrage - all of which have been rejected by Beijing and Lam.