Hong Kong police resort to tear gas to break up democracy protesters

Описание: Hong Kong police fire repeated volleys of tear gas to disperse pro-democracy protests on Sunday and baton-charged the crowd blocking a key road in the government district after official warnings against illegal demonstrations

Hong Kong police used tear gas on Sunday to try to clear thousands of pro-democracy protesters who had gathered outside government headquarters in a challenge to Beijing over its decision to restrict democratic reforms for the city.

After spending hours holding the protesters at bay, police lobbed canisters of tear gas into the crowd on Sunday evening.
The searing fumes sent protesters fleeing down the road, but many came right back to continue their demonstration.

Students and activists have been camped out on the streets outside the government complex all weekend.

The protesters reject Beijing's recent decision to restrict voting reforms for the first-ever election to choose Hong Kong's leader, promised for 2017.

Students started the rally, but by early Sunday leaders of the broader Occupy Central civil disobedience movement said they were joining them to kick-start a long-threatened mass sit-in to demand an election for Hong Kong's leader without Beijing's interference.

Earlier, police said they had arrested 78 people since demonstrations started late Friday, though all but three were released.
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