Police fire tear gas as thousands of protesters block Hong Kong roads
Police fired tear gas at prodemocracy protesters in Hong Kong yesterday for the second night in a row in another escalation of weeks-long prodemocracy demonstrations.
Tens of thousands of protesters occupied two areas at opposite ends of central Hong Kong after a mid-afternoon rally against alleged police brutality last Sunday.
As night fell, one group that had blocked a road near the Chinese government’s liaison office began to move forward. The police issued warnings, and protesters were seen throwing eggs at them before officers fired tear gas to halt the advance.
Protesters had rallied earlier at a park before heading out in several directions despite not having police approval for a march. It was the second consecutive day that protesters took to the streets without official permission.
A sea of black-shirted protesters, some with yellow helmets and masks, streamed out of Chater Garden park chanting, “Keep up the fight,” in what has become a summer of protest in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.
They set up barricades to block off the area and defend it against police. Shopkeepers at some nearby stores pulled down the shutters early as police in riot gear gathered.
Hong Kong has been the scene of protests for seven weeks, as the opposition to a controversial bill that would have enabled extraditions to mainland China has resulted in demands for the resignation of the city’s pro-china leader, Carrie Lam, and an investigation into excessive police force.
Recent rallies have been followed by violent clashes between demonstrators, police and masked men wielding sticks suspected of being criminal gang members.
Underlying the movement is a broader push for full democracy in the territory. The city’s leader is chosen by a committee dominated by a pro-beijing establishment.
The rally in Chater Garden was called to protest at the police use of tear gas, rubber bullets and other force to break up a protest the previous Sunday.
“We need to have a protest to show that we are strongly against this kind of brutality and we need them to respond to our demands,” said rally organiser Ventus Lau.
On Saturday, clashes between protesters and police led to 11 arrests and left at least two dozen injured.
Amnesty International director Man-kei Tam said: “While police must be able to defend themselves, there were repeated instances today where police officers were the aggressors.”
Police said they had to use what they termed “appropriate force” because bricks and other objects were thrown at them.