Xinhua condemns vandalisation of its Hong Kong bureau

Chinese state-run Xinhua News Agency on Saturday strongly condemned what it called "savage behaviour" of the protesters in Hong Kong after its Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau office building was vandalised during the anti-government protests in the semi-autonomous city.

On Saturday afternoon, a number of rioters destroyed the building's security facilities, spray-painted insulting words on the walls and smashed the front gate and some of its windows. They also threw firebombs and paint bombs into the lobby and committed vandalism in it after trespassing, Xinhua reported.

"Xinhua expresses strong indignation and condemnation against the rioters' savage behaviours and hopes that Hong Kong police will launch a serious investigation into the incident", a spokesperson for the agency said.

"Xinhua, as China's state news agency and an international wire service with global influence, is committed to providing authoritative, truthful and comprehensive news coverage for the audience at home and abroad. The behaviours of the black-clad rioters once again demonstrated that the most important and pressing task for Hong Kong at the moment is to bring violence and chaos to an end and restore order," the spokesperson added.

"We resolutely support the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and police in stopping violence and chaos in accordance with the law. We also believe that this illegal act will be condemned by all sectors of Hong Kong society," the spokesperson further said.

The unrest resumed in Hong Kong on Saturday despite a ban on gatherings.

Protestors attempted to bypass the ban by holding an "election meeting" with political candidates, an assembly the orgsers maintained was legal even without an official permit. However, riot police intercepted the gatherings at Victoria Park and other areas, according to Russia's Sputnik news agency.

On October 23, Hong Kong legislature officially withdrew the controversial extradition bill, which ignited months of protests across the city, disrupting normal lives.

The unpopular extradition bill would have allowed the transfer of suspects to places with which Hong Kong did not have an extradition agreement including mainland China for trial.

Hong Kong, which returned to China in 1997 and enjoys a special administrative status, has seen a wave of demonstrations since June that were initially orgsed in protest against proposed amendments to the city's extradition law.

Even though the controversial extradition bill has been shelved, protests have continued in the former British colony and have taken on a more pro-democracy outlook, with demands which include investigations into alleged police brutality.

( With inputs from ANI )