A woman has alleged that she was beaten by mainland Chinese officers on Chung Ying Street, a street along the border between Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
The 250-metre-long and four-metre-wide street is managed by the Hong Kong government on the one side and by Shenzhen authorities on the other. A restricted zone, the street is accessible only to those with a permit.
The woman told Apple Daily that she resides in Sha Lan Ha village, which is located on the Shenzhen side of border town Sha Tau Kok.
She said she was walking her dog on Chung Ying Street last Friday when several Shenzhen law enforcement agents attempted to take her dog away on suspicion that the canine was not vaccinated.
The woman said she tried to protect her dog despite being two months pregnant. She claimed she was kicked in the stomach and hit in the back by the mainland agents.
She then sought medical help after sustaining scratches on her shoulder and arm.
The woman said she was discharged from the hospital on that evening, and paid Chinese authorities to have her dog returned.
Around a dozen disgruntled villagers surrounded a law enforcement department in Shenzhen the next morning to seek an explanation, according to Apple Daily. They later dispersed peacefully.
Shenzhen police declined to comment on the incident. Hong Kong police told HKFP that they did not receive any calls for assistance.
Chung Ying Street, which literally translates to China England Street, was a popular shopping area among mainland Chinese in the 1980s and 1990s.
According to Hong Kong police, indigenous inhabitants and people who live or work on Chung Ying Street may be allowed to enter the area. Residents in the restricted area of Sha Tau Kok may also be permitted access to the street.
Both residents and visitors must apply for a closed area permit in order to access restricted border zones such as Chung Ying Street.
