Police tear gas pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong
Pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong
have brought parts of the city center to a standstill. Police have used tear
gas to disperse crowds calling for more political freedom from Beijing .
Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters on Sunday
surrounded a government enclave and blocked streets in central Hong Kong in an escalation of the demonstrations that the
city has experienced over the past days, reports DW.
Police used tear gas for the first time during the protests
and baton-charged a crowd blocking a key road.
Police also used pepper spray on demonstrators trying to
break through a police blockade designed to stop people joining the crowds who
have staged a sit-in outside Hong Kong 's
government headquarters since Friday.
Demonstrators, many wearing goggles and plastic wrap to
protect themselves against pepper spray, blocked traffic on Harcourt Road , a major throughway, as
well as sections of several other roads in the financial district. At least 29
police and civilian have been injured in clashes.
The escalation in protest actions by pro-democracy
supporters comes after a week of student-led demonstrations against Beijing 's refusal to
grant the city fully democratic elections in 2017.
China's legislature last month ruled that candidates for the
election of Hong Kong's leader would first be vetted by a committee of Beijing
loyalists that has up to now chosen who governs the former British colony. Many
see the ruling as running counter to promises by China that the elections would be
carried out on the basis of "universal suffrage."
'Occupy' joins the fray
On Saturday evening, the activist group Occupy Central
announced it would be launching its long-threatened campaign to shut down the
city's financial center three days earlier than planned, in an apparent bid to
use the momentum gained by the student-led protests over the past week.
The group is calling on Beijing to withdraw last month's decision and
for it to allow a consultation on political reform to start anew.
A police statement issued late on Saturday reiterated that
the demonstration near the government complex was "unlawful." A
spokesperson for China 's
Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office said the central Chinese government fully
supported Hong Kong 's treatment of protesters
"in accordance with the law."
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