Man set on fire during chaotic Hong Kong day

A protester approaches a gas canister deployed in the Central district of Hong Kong on Monday, Nov. 11, 2019. A protester was shot by police Monday in a dramatic scene caught on video as demonstrators blocked train lines and roads during the morning commute. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

HONG KONG — A man has been set on fire following an apparent dispute over national identity in Hong Kong, where police shot a protester on a day of escalating violence.

The man set on fire around midday was in critical condition in a city hospital. Video posted online show him arguing with a group of young people, before someone douses him with a liquid and strikes a lighter.

The police shooting was also captured on video Monday as demonstrators blocked train lines and roads during the morning commute to push their demands for democratic reforms. The Hong Kong hospital authority said the person shot was in critical condition.

The violence is likely to further inflame passions after a student died Friday from injuries suffered in an earlier fall and police arrested six pro-democracy lawmakers over the weekend. /kga