MOSCOW, October 15 (RIA Novosti) — An “impartial investigation” has been launched over a video showing what appears to be several police officers beating a protester, Hong Kong authorities said Wednesday.
“Police have expressed concern over a video clip showing several plainclothes officers suspected of using excessive force this morning, and will conduct an impartial investigation,” the Hong Kong government said in a statement published on its official website.
“The Complaints Against Police Office has received a relevant complaint and will handle it in accordance with established procedures in a just and impartial manner,” the statement said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Hong Kong broadcaster TVB aired a video of what appeared to be six policemen carrying a protester to a street corner and beating him for several minutes.
Some 45 protesters were arrested for “unlawful assembly” night to Wednesday as police cleared Lung Wo Road, according to the official Occupy Central Twitter page.
The Occupy Central with Love and Peace protests began in Hong Kong on September 27. Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to show their opposition to the Chinese government's plans to control the 2017 Hong Kong elections.
Protesters claim Beijing has gone back on its pledge to allow universal suffrage in Hong Kong, which was promised a high degree of autonomy when it was handed back to China by Britain in 1997.
