The Past 24 Hours In Hong Kong, In Pictures

As tensions continue to escalate in Hong Kong, the anti-government protests not only spilt onto UK campuses, but onto the streets of London. 

On Thursday evening, Hong Kong’s justice minster Teresa Cheng was filmed falling to the ground as she was surrounded by pro-democracy protestors outside the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in Bloomsbury Square. 

Those protesting could be heard shouting “shame on you” at the minister, The Guardian reported, who can then be seen falling to the ground, although it is unclear from the footage whether she was pushed. 

As the head of the department prosecuting protestors, Cheng is one of the most unpopular governmental figures in Hong Kong. She is also seen by many as one of the key supporters of the extradition bill, which sparked the first in the latest series of protests almost six months ago.

Despite not appearing to have sustained any serious injury during the incident, Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam said Cheng had suffered “serious bodily harm”, with the Chinese Embassy in the UK stating she had injured her hand, describing the altercation as “flagrant assault”.