The Latest: Hong Kong protesters surround police station
HONG KONG (AP) — The Latest on protests in Hong Kong (all times local):
12:45 a.m.
Residents and protesters in Hong Kong have surrounded another police station after they were cleared from an area near one that they vandalized earlier in the night.
Some residents of neighborhoods impacted by the demonstrations Saturday have banded together with pro-democracy protesters in an effort to push riot police out.
In two other protest sites, crowds dispersed following lengthy standoffs with police and multiple rounds of tear gas.
Some protesters in black outfits used sling shots to hurl what appeared to be rocks at the police. Others set cardboard on fire to form a burning barricade.
A pro-democracy rally Saturday devolved after many protesters kept on marching when they reached the police-approved end point.
Hong Kong has been the scene of mass demonstrations for more than a month as residents call for greater democratic freedoms and an inquiry into police tactics.
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9:45 p.m.
Hong Kong police have fired tear gas at protesters after some of them vandalized a police station.
Police continuously fired several rounds of tear gas Saturday night to push back a group of protesters who had thrown bricks at a police station and spray-painted inflammatory language on its outer walls.
It was not immediately clear if protesters had also set something on fire, as two firetrucks appeared on the scene.
A rally earlier in the day in Hong Kong's Mong Kok area continued past its designated endpoint. Protesters, under a canopy of umbrellas, installed barricades on major roads and removed bricks from the pavement.
While the summer-long pro-democracy rallies have been largely peaceful, they have increasingly devolved into violent clashes with police after some protesters refused to disperse at assigned times.
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7:30 p.m.
Protesters have removed a Chinese national flag from a pole and flung it into Hong Kong's iconic Victoria Harbour.
After a pre-approved rally Saturday continued past its designated endpoint, demonstrators surged through a busy tourist area by the waterfront.
When they reached a set of flagpoles bearing the Hong Kong flag as well as the national flag of China, one protester climbed up the pole and removed the Chinese flag. After some debate over whether they had time to paint the flag black, they decided to throw it into the water before police could intervene.
The act is reminiscent of moves last month that infuriated the Communist Party-led central government. After one rally a few weeks earlier, some protesters went to the liaison office, which represents the mainland Chinese government, and threw black paint and eggs at the national emblem on the building.
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7:30 p.m.
Police in Hong Kong say protesters have blocked the entrances to a major tunnel and seriously obstructed traffic.
The demonstrators pressed on Saturday past their rally's pre-approved endpoint and set up barricades on a large road. Police had warned earlier in the day that deviations from the designated route would constitute an unauthorized assembly — an illegal act.
Protesters wearing black shirts and face masks have made their way through Mong Kok, a popular shopping district. While most of the storefronts along the route closed early, some remained open and provided demonstrators with drinks. At one corner shop, umbrellas — a symbol of the city's pro-democracy movement — were on prominent display.
A couple of hours into the rally, protesters began setting up first aid stations and handing out helmets on the side of the road.
Non-emergency services have been suspended at two police stations near the protest sites.
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4:55 p.m.
Hong Kong protesters have ignored police warnings and streamed past the designated end point for their Saturday rally.
Protesters filled the roads in a usually bustling market district. The street along the route was completely filled with protesters, while others were reduced to single lanes.
Police warned earlier in the day that those who continued past the pre-approved route would be breaking the law.
Hong Kong's summer of protest has continued unabated despite the government's decision to suspend a contentious extradition bill. While the pro-democracy rallies have been largely peaceful, they have increasingly devolved into violent clashes with police after some protesters refused to disperse at assigned times.
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12:40 p.m.
Hong Kong police have called on the public to stick to designated routes and times for a spate of protests planned this weekend.
Police said in a briefing ahead of a scheduled rally Saturday that any demonstrations that are not pre-approved are unlawful.
Hong Kong's summer of protest has continued unabated despite the government's decision to suspend a controversial extradition bill. While the pro-democracy rallies have been largely peaceful, they have increasingly devolved into violent clashes with police after some protesters refused to disperse at assigned times.
Police on Saturday did not rule out engaging in clearance operations for those who disregard the terms of their assembly permit. In past weekends, protesters have vandalized buildings and thrown bricks, while police have used tear gas.
