A pregnant woman has accused mainland law enforcement of beating her while she was walking her dog in the Hong Kong border town of Sha Tau Kok, in the northeastern New Territories, last week.
The woman, who lives on the Shenzhen side of Sha Tau Kok, said she was walking her dog on Chung Ying Street, which straddles the border, when several Chengguan (urban law enforcement officers) attempted to take her black Labrador, Apple Daily reports.
According to the woman, the officers suspected that her dog was not vaccinated. The woman, who is two months pregnant, was allegedly kicked in her stomach and hit on the back by the Chengguan when she attempted to protect her dog.
She was taken to a mainland hospital for medical treatment and discharged later that night. The dog was reportedly only released by the Chengguan after its owner paid an unspecified sum.
Villagers gathered at a Chengguan department in Shenzhen on Sunday morning to express their dissatisfaction over the incident, but later left peacefully.
Chung Ying Street, which is 250 meters long, is governed by Hong Kong authorities on one end and Shenzhen authorities on the other. Hongkongers wishing to visit must first obtain a permit from the Sheung Shui police station, while people who live or work in the area are eligible for a Closed Area Permit, which allows them access to the border zone.
