Tens of thousands protest in illegal Hong Kong march

Police and protesters exchanged tear gas and petrol bombs on Sunday (October 20) as Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement staged an illegal anti-government march through the city's Kowloon district.

That demonstration attracted tens of thousands onto the streets and descended into chaos, with hundreds of shops trashed and Chinese banks and metro stations targeted.

After two weeks of relative calm, Sunday's protest shows that the movement has not lost support.

That's despite, according to activist Avery Ng, the government refusing to authorize peaceful protests.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) PRO-DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT ACTIVIST, AVERY NG, SAYING:

"That means anyone who comes out will inherently be breaking the law. So that's the tactic the Hong Kong government is using. So don't think that the movement is slowing down. In fact, it is growing stronger and stronger. And if you pan your camera around, every single one of the protesters today standing here today, are literally breaking the law."

Protesters erected flaming barricades on Nathan Road, a major Kowloon retail strip and threw petrol bombs at a nearby police station.

The police responded with tear gas, some of the heaviest use of water cannon the protests have seen and by driving through barricades.

The protests come after Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam's annual policy address last Wednesday (October 16) which failed to address protesters' demands.