Anger soared in Hong Kong on Monday over a vicious assault against pro-democracy protesters by a mob of suspected triad gangsters that left dozens wounded, one critically, in a dramatic escalation of the political violence plaguing the financial hub.

The city's roiling unrest took a dark turn late Sunday when gangs of men -- most wearing white t-shirts and carrying bats, sticks and metal poles -- set upon anti-government demonstrators as they returned from another huge march earlier that day.

Footage from the attack broadcast live on Facebook showed people screaming as the men beat multiple protesters and journalists in Yuen Long station and inside subway trains, leaving pools of blood on the floor.

Hospital authorities said 45 people were wounded in the attack, with one man in critical condition and five others with serious injuries.

Critics rounded on the city's embattled police force, accusing officers of taking more than an hour to reach the station despite frantic calls from those under attack and then failing to arrest the armed men who stayed in the streets around the station into Monday morning.

Some men in white shirts were later filmed leaving the scene in cars with Chinese mainland number plates.

Lam Cheuk-ting, a pro-democracy lawmaker, was one of those wounded in the melee, sustaining lacerations to his face and arms.

He criticised police for their response and accused "triad members" of being behind the attacks.

"Their very barbaric and violent acts have already completely violated the bottom line of Hong Kong's civilised society," he told reporters early Monday.

- 'Shame on the government' -

Nathan Law, a prominent pro-democracy activist, added on Twitter: "When the Chinese mobs are attacking the citizens, no law enforcement are there. Shame on the government."

The clashes have ratcheted up fears that the city's feared triad gangs are wading into the political conflict.

Yuen Long lies in the New Territories near the Chinese border where the criminal gangs and staunchly pro-Beijing rural committees remain influential.

Similar assaults by pro-government vigilantes against demonstrators during the 2014 "Umbrella Movement" protests were blamed on triads.

Hong Kong has been plunged into its worst crisis in recent history by weeks of marches and sporadic violent confrontations between police and pockets of hardcore protesters.

The initial protests were lit by a now-suspended bill that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China.

But they have since evolved into a wider movement calling for democratic reforms, universal suffrage and a halt to sliding freedoms in the semi-autonomous territory.

The city's parliament was trashed by protesters earlier this month, as Beijing's authority faces its most serious challenge since Hong Kong was handed back to China in 1997.

- Tear gas and rubber bullets -

As the mob rampage unfolded in Yuen Long police were simultaneously battling hardcore democracy protesters in the middle of the city's commercial district.

Riot officers fired tear gas and rubber bullets at anti-government protesters, hours after China's office in the city was daubed with eggs and graffiti in a vivid rebuke to Beijing's rule.

Earlier in the day another huge and peaceful anti-government march had made its way through the city -- the seventh weekend in a row that residents have come out en-masse.

Six weeks of huge protests have done little to persuade the city's unelected leaders -- or Beijing -- to change tack on the hub's future.

Under the 1997 handover deal with Britain, China promised to allow Hong Kong to keep key liberties such as its independent judiciary and freedom of speech.

But many say those provisions are already being curtailed, citing the disappearance into mainland custody of dissident booksellers, the disqualification of prominent politicians and the jailing of pro-democracy protest leaders.

Authorities have also resisted calls for the city's leader to be directly elected by the people.

Protesters have vowed to keep their movement going until their core demands are met such as an independent inquiry into police tactics, an amnesty for those arrested, a permanent withdrawal of the bill, universal suffrage and Lam's resignation.

There is little sign that either Lam or Beijing will budge.

Beyond agreeing to suspend the extradition bill there have been few other concessions and fears are rising that Beijing's patience is running out.

Taiwan foreign minister calls for 'genuine' elections in Hong Kong
Taipei (AFP) July 22, 2019 - Taiwan's foreign minister on Monday called for "genuine" democratic elections to be held in Hong Kong after the city was rocked by fresh political violence, comments that will likely infuriate Beijing.

Hong Kong has been plunged into its worst crisis in recent history by weeks of marches and sporadic violent confrontations between police and pockets of hardcore protesters.

The initial protests were lit by a now-suspended bill that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China.

But they have since evolved into a wider movement calling for democratic reforms, universal suffrage and a halt to sliding freedoms in the semi-autonomous territory.

Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters on Sunday night, the seventh weekend in a row that the city has witnessed political violence.

Separately masked men wielding sticks beat up anti-government protesters at a subway station, putting dozens in hospital.

In a tweet on Monday Taiwan's foreign minister Joseph Wu said it was time for the city's leaders to grant universal suffrage, a core demand of protesters.

"It's sad to see the rule of law eroding and the divide between the people and the government widening in HongKong," Wu said as he accompanied President Tsai Ing-wen in a stopover in Denver on their way back from a visit to diplomatic allies in the Caribbean.

"The way forward is genuine democratic elections, not violence in the streets & MTR stations. The freedom and human rights of the people must be protected!" he added.

Taiwan is gearing up for a presidential election where a dominant issue will be relations with the mainland -- which sees the self-ruled island as its own territory and has vowed to seize it.

Ties with Beijing have deteriorated since Tsai came to power in 2016 because her party refuses to recognise the idea that Taiwan is part of "one China".

Tsai has described the 2020 presidential election as a "fight for freedom and democracy", setting herself up as someone who can defend Taiwan from an increasingly assertive Beijing.

She is facing off against Han Kuo-yu from the opposition KMT party which favours warmer ties with the Chinese mainland.

Last week Tsai's government said it would provide assistance to Hong Kongers seeking sanctuary after local media reported dozens of activists involved in an unprecedented storming of the city's parliament had fled to the island.

China's communist party views Taiwan as its own territory and has vowed to seize it, by force if necessary.

Beijing has previously indicated that the "one country, two systems" model under which Hong Kong is allowed to keep key liberties could be applied to Taiwan.

But years of sliding freedoms in Hong Kong has done little to endear Taiwan's inhabitants to the idea of Beijing's rule.

Chinese envoy and media condemn Hong Kong protest against Beijing office
Hong Kong (AFP) July 22, 2019 - China's top envoy to Hong Kong hit out on Monday at anti-government protesters who daubed the walls of Beijing's office in the city with graffiti saying the previous night's events insulted "all Chinese people".

"These (acts) have seriously damaged Hong Kong's highly cherished rule of law spirit... and seriously damaged the feelings of all Chinese people including seven million Hong Kong compatriots," Wang Zhimin, the head of Beijing's Liaison Office told reporters.

Thousands of masked demonstrators briefly occupied the road outside Beijing's office on Sunday night, erected barricades and targeted the building with eggs, projectiles, laser lights and graffiti in a stark rebuke to Beijing's rule.

Wang said he offered his "strongest condemnation" over the protest and said he backed the Hong Kong government's vow to bring those "rioters" to justice.

Chinese state media also ran reports condemning the protest.

Xinhua quoted an unnamed representative of the Liason Office as saying the protest "blatantly challenged the authority of the central government" adding that "such behaviours are serious in nature, have caused bad influence and are absolutely intolerable."

Xinhua also ran a report quoting a spokesperson from the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, another prominent party organ that deals with the two semi-autonomous hubs, condemning the "vicious behaviours of some radical demonstrators".

"We firmly support the HKSAR government in taking all necessary measures in accordance with law to ensure the safety of the central government organs based in Hong Kong, safeguard the rule of law in Hong Kong, and punish the criminals," the spokesperson said.

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