Hong Kong Police Fire Live

Rounds To Quell Protesters

As Chaos Rules Streets

31 August, 2019

Update (10:32AM ET): Authorities fired a live round near Victoria Park as a warning to protesters.

A video on Facebook, meanwhile, appears to show the moment protesters discover an undercover officer firing what appears to be pepper rounds.

Authorties, of course, are calling for calm: "The president calls on protesters to express their calls through peaceful means and hopes all parties can resolve the social conflicts altogether," said a spokesman for Legislative Council president Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen.

Meanwhile, as Bloomberg's Fion Li reports, the riot police is now sweeping across the subway, in an attempt to make mass arrests.

***

Protesters in Hong Kong returned to the streets in what Bloomberg has called "one of the city's most violent days in its 13th weekend of social unrest," after several top organizers were arrested and then released, including Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow and Andy Chan.

Hong Kong police fired tear gas and sprayed protesters with blue dye from pepper-spray filled water cannons, while charging other protesters with shields and batons.

Tens of thousands participated in an unauthorized demonstration - many of whom threw objects and gasoline bombs over barriers at the government's headquarters. After initially retreating in response to the crowd control measures, protesters returned to a nearby suburb and set fire to a wall on Hennessy Road in the city's Wan Chai district.

While others marched back and forth elsewhere in the city, a large crowd wearing helmets and gas masks gathered outside the city government building. Some approached barriers that had been set up to keep protesters away and appeared to throw objects at the police on the other side. Others shone laser lights at the officers.

Police fired tear gas from the other side of the barriers, then brought out a water cannon truck that fired regular water and then colored water at the protesters, staining them and nearby journalists and leaving blue puddles in the street. -AP

The protesters were undeterred.

Several people were arrested and tossed into police vans.

"Violent protesters continue to throw corrosives and petrol bombs on Central Government Complex, Legislative Council Complex and Police Headquarters," said the police in a statement. "Such acts pose a serious threat to everyone at the scene and breach public peace."

Bloomberg TicToc

✔@tictoc

· 14h

Replying to @tictoc @business

GRAFFITI: #AntiELAB protesters start writing "liberate Hong Kong" on the walls of a tunnel in the center of the city #HongKongProtests #香港

Bloomberg TicToc

✔@tictoc

TEAR GAS: Police fire tear gas at #antiELAB protesters outside Hong Kong's Legislative Council offices#HongKongProtests #香港

More @business: https://bloom.bg/2zBmMX9

83

9:36 PM - Aug 31, 2019

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Protesters in Hong Kong returned to the streets in what Bloomberg has called "one of the city's most violent days in its 13th weekend of social unrest," after several top organizers were arrested, including Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow and Andy Chan. Hong Kong police fired tear gas and sprayed protesters with blue dye from pepper-spray filled water cannons, while charging other protesters with shields and batons. Water cannons fired blue dye pic.twitter.com/U8YAR1PsrQ — Tiffany May (@nytmay) August 31, 2019 Tens of thousands participated in an unauthorized demonstration - many of whom threw objects and gasoline bombs over barriers at the government's headquarters. After initially retreating in response to the crowd control measures, protesters returned to a nearby suburb and set fire to a wall on Hennessy Road in the city's Wan Chai district. this fire has gotten much bigger after 20 minutes. the street is full of dark smoke. #hongkongprotests#HongKong Clashes Escalate as Water Cannons, Firebombs Are Used https://t.co/JtIZo9EhGJ @bpolitics pic.twitter.com/pxdhcV0iRc — Fion Li (@fion_li) August 31, 2019 While others marched back and forth elsewhere in the city, a large crowd wearing helmets and gas masks gathered outside the city government building. Some approached barriers that had been set up to keep protesters away and appeared to throw objects at the police on the other side.

Others shone laser lights at the officers. Police fired tear gas from the other side of the barriers, then brought out a water cannon truck that fired regular water and then colored water at the protesters, staining them and nearby journalists and leaving blue puddles in the street. -AP #HongKong police used water cannons to disperse rioters near Causeway Bay. The water contains pepper. pic.twitter.com/A0aSgzTTea — Global Times (@globaltimesnews) August 31, 2019 The protesters were undeterred. protesters aren't deterred by rounds of tear gas outside Sogo department store at all. what a scene in causeway bay. #hongkongprotests#HongKong Clashes Escalate as Water Cannons, Firebombs Are Used https://t.co/JtIZo9EhGJ @bpolitics pic.twitter.com/SOPyI4ZIzu — Fion Li (@fion_li) August 31, 2019 Several people were arrested and tossed into police vans. "Violent protesters continue to throw corrosives and petrol bombs on Central Government Complex, Legislative Council Complex and Police Headquarters," said the police in a statement. "Such acts pose a serious threat to everyone at the scene and breach public peace." TEAR GAS: Police fire tear gas at #antiELAB protesters outside Hong Kong's Legislative Council offices#HongKongProtests #香港 More @business: https://t.co/MmE4GkqhtD pic.twitter.com/9ZnKPDCTUA — Bloomberg TicToc (@tictoc) August 31, 2019 Protesters asked US President Donald Trump to take action and help the activists, who originally took to the streets to protest a controversial extradition bill which would have allowed China to bring suspects to the mainland to face trial in PRC courts. This #antiELAB protester tells us why he's urging Trump to take action on #HongKongProtests #香港 More @business: https://t.co/6KN3YO371w pic.twitter.com/55ZzVNpdqW — Bloomberg TicToc (@tictoc) August 31, 2019 Acting on orders from Beijing, Hong Kong rejected an application by the Civil Human Rights Front for a march to the Chinese government office. While previous marches have begun peacefully, police say that they have increasingly devolved into chaos and violence towards the end.

Protesters asked US President Donald Trump to take action and help the activists, who originally took to the streets to protest a controversial extradition bill which would have allowed China to bring suspects to the mainland to face trial in PRC courts.

Acting on orders from Beijing, Hong Kong rejected an application by the Civil Human Rights Front for a march to the Chinese government office. While previous marches have begun peacefully, police say that they have increasingly devolved into chaos and violence towards the end.