Paramedics left stranded as detainees rushed away

Paramedics left stranded as detainees rushed away

An ambulance crew was left stranded on the middle of the road in Sai Wan Ho on Monday after a police vehicle with injured detainees sped away, despite pleas from first aiders and people to let one of the arrested people get medical attention.



This came as tensions continued to simmer in the area where an unarmed protester was shot by a police officer on Monday morning. The incident had sparked off angry demonstrations by people in the area who questioned the police action.



As things flared up, riot police arrived to try and control things. Tear gas and pepper spray followed but the confrontations continued as the hours went by.



At one point in the afternoon, some officers went after protesters who were heckling them. The protesters tried to escape into the Holy Cross Centre, a Catholic church in the area, but were chased down before they could enter the building.



In the melee, one of the detainees appeared to have sustained some injuries and witnesses reported the man looked in urgent need of help. When the officers tried to move the man to the vehicle, the crowd became restless and wanted the detainee to be given medical attention.



A fformer Scholarism leader Oscar Lai, who was trying to liaise between police and the angry crowd, then said they had called for an ambulance to assist the injured detainee.



But even as the ambulance arrived and the crew started walking towards the scene, the police vehicle sped away, leaving the crew running after them.



Angry people then pelted the police vehicle with projectiles as the ambulance crew were left standing there.