Hong Kong protests: Police fire tear gas at activists

2019-08-03 16:55:33

Hong Kong police have fired tear gas at protesters who are demonstrating for the ninth weekend in a row. Groups rallied in the Mong Kok district before starting their march. They called on others to join a city-wide strike planned for Monday. Beijing and the Chinese army have issued stern warnings about the unrest. Two months of demonstrations sparked by a controversial extradition bill show no signs of abating, with both sides hardening their stance. Although the government has now suspended the bill, which would have allowed extraditions to mainland China, demonstrators want the bill fully withdrawn. Their demands have broadened to include calls for more democracy and for Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam to resign. Hong Kong - a former British colony - is part of China but enjoys unique freedoms not seen on the mainland.