[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] Hong Kong anti-government protesters crowded shopping malls in running festivities with police on Sunday, with several suffering bloody wounds a day after parts of the Chinese-ruled city became a battleground after five months of unrest.A human chain in the upmarket Hong Kong island mall of Cityplaza, in Taikoo Shing, turned into a bloody face-to-face conflict with police, running up and down escalators where families with young children had been window shopping just minutes before.
Police said protesters had vandalized a restaurant after a peaceful chanting of slogans.
Several people were maimed, one man in a white tee-shirt being beaten with sticks by protesters. Another man lay in a pool of blood on the pavement.
Broadcaster RTHK said district councilor Andrew Chiu was among the maimed and that part of his ear had been bitten off. It was not immediately possible to verify the report.
A kitchen knife lay on the ground outside the mall.
"These police are not what they used to be," said Julie, 24, giving police the middle finger. "They come in here and push us around. It is not right."