Hong Kong protesters have clashed with police into the evening after the citywide strike was coming to a close. Since June 9, the police has detained 420 people, including 82 new arrrests yesterday.
A citywide strike accompanied by rallies in seven districts descended into chaos on Monday evening as thousands of protesters fanned out across the city, occupying roads, disrupting traffic, and vandalising police stations and other public buildings.
Riot police fired teargas, rubber bullets, sponge grenades and pepper spray on protesters in at least seven locations, including a main area near the government headquarters.
According to local newspaper, in chaotic scenes on Monday evening, riot police fired tear gas across Hong Kong island and the New Territories as rallies in seven locations against the government’s extradition bill saw roads occupied, fires lit outside police stations, rocks thrown at police compounds and the Chinese national flag dumped for a second time into the harbour at Tsim Sha Tsui.
Tin Shui Wai, near the Chinese tech capital of Shenzhen, saw some of the heaviest use of tear gas by police throughout Monday. Rubber bullets were also fired at protesters throwing stones at the police station.
By evening protesters had set fire to barricades at Sha Tin and outside the police station at Tuen Men, with riot police attempting to clear occupied roads in Tuen Men around 10.30pm by firing tear gas.
The police has enforced their confrontation with armored vehicles running down the streets.
At Sham Shui Po, traffic returned to normal by 03:00 am when the police retreated and the protesters also made their moves backwards.
Carrie Lam said at a press conference the city was “on the verge of a very dangerous situation” and the crisis in front of her “is about Hong Kong’s security and safety and whether we can restore it in time”.
On Tuesday in Beijing, the Chinese government is scheduled to make a new statement on the situation of Hong Kong.
Edited by staff
