An Indonesian journalist has been permanently blinded in her right eye by a rubber bullet that is said to have been fired by Hong Kong police, as widespread protests continue in the Chinese territory.
Veby Mega Indah was covering the city-wide protests on Sunday when a rubber bullet hit the protective glasses she was wearing.
Doctors later confirmed Ms Indah would remain permanently blind.
"She was informed that the pupil of her eye was ruptured by the force of the impact," the lawyer for the Indonesian journalist, Michael Vidler, said in a statement.
Mr Vidler said the responsibility of this incident lies squarely with the Commissioner of Police Stephen Lo Wai-chung.
“[He] has failed to control the increasingly reckless behaviour of some of his officers, and with the officer who fired at Ms Veby,” he said in the statement posted on Facebook on Sunday.
“She will be filing criminal complaints against the Commissioner of Police and the officer. She will also be filing civil proceedings to seek redress.”
A man shouts out as he's held down by the riot police during the demonstration. Source: Aidan Marzo/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
According to Ms Veby’s lawyer, she was wearing protective eye goggles and was shot from a distance of approximately 12 meters away.
The journalist, who works for Indonesian-language newspaper Suara, was wearing her press credentials in a lanyard around her neck when she was struck by the rubber bullet.
The impact caused severe injury to her right eye, a cut near her right eye which required stitches and injury to her left eye.
The incident comes as Hong Kong faces its most violent clashes as mainland China celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Communist China Party.
A Hong Kong based Indonesian journalist was shot with a rubber bullet in the face as demonstrators charge towards police officers making a retreat. Source: Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
An 18-year-old was shot in the chest by police on Tuesday amid escalating violence in the region. It was the first time a demonstrator had been struck with a live round since the increasingly violent pro-democracy protests stared almost four months ago.
Police said the young protester is in a stable condition.
'The only way we can win is if someone dies’
Demosistō's vice president Isaac Cheng told Dateline that the protests during the 70th anniversary of the People's Republic of China have been symbolic.
"It shows the the intentional society the brutal acts of the Chinese communist party and the failure of one country, two systems," he said.
Isaac Cheng said he believes fear is part of Hong Kong's anti-protest strategy.
"When you fight for freedom you must overcome the fear, the fear is the common tactic," he said.
Twenty-year-old protester Ida* has been at the frontlines of the protests since June. She told Dateline she witnessed this week’s violence firsthand.
“Usually, I’m running from the violence and from the police frontline,” she said.
“When you’re running, you don’t have the time to stand still and take stock of what’s happening behind you and the people falling behind you.”
The young protester said she is struggling to accept the escalating violence in Hong Kong and fears the only way the pro-democracy movement will achieve its goals is if someone dies.”
“To many people are apathetic and something needs to push them out,” she said.
“Police shooting white bullets and if someone dies, I think that might be the spark. People are going to go 'okay.' If someone died, police actually killed one of our own. They'll come out. I think that's the only way.
She said the not-fatal shooting of the 18-year-old protester may galvanise more people to take action.
“I hope people who have been politically apathetic so far, will wake up,” she said.
*Ida's name has been changed to protect her anonymity.
