Police fire tear gas to disperse thousands in central Hong Kong

Sunday, 19 January 2020 13:47

Several arrests have been made in Hong Kong after riot police disrupted an anti-government protest on Sunday.

Police were seen firing tear gas to disperse thousands of protesters who had started to march from a central Hong Kong park, claiming they weren't given permission to do so.

Video footage showed protesters, wearing all-black clothing, barricade roads with umbrellas and street furniture and smashing traffic lights.

The anti-government protests, which started in June last year over a now-withdrawn extradition bill, have since broadened to include demands for democratic rights.

So far, more than 7,000 people have been arrested, many on charges of rioting that can carry jail terms of up to 10 years.

More from International News

Israeli attacks on Gaza killed 60 people in 24 hours

Israeli occupation forces committed multiple massacres against families in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, resulting in the killing of at least 60 Palestinians and the injury of 162 others, according to medical reports.
Trump fires National Security Agency director

U.S. President Donald Trump fired General Timothy Haugh as director of the National Security Agency on Thursday, according to two officials familiar with the decision, and congressional Democrats denounced the removal of the nonpartisan official from a top security post.
Israel steps up Syria strikes, says Turkey aims for 'protectorate'

Israel stepped up airstrikes on Syria, declaring the attacks a warning to the new rulers in Damascus as it accused their ally Turkey of trying to turn the country into a Turkish protectorate.
US sending Israel 20,000 assault rifles that Biden delayed

The Trump administration moved forward with the sale of more than 20,000 US-made assault rifles to Israel last month, according to a document seen by Reuters, pushing ahead with a sale that the administration of former president Joe Biden had delayed.