Hong Kong police have reportedly fired tear gas at an authorized protest involving tens of thousands of demonstrators on Saturday. The march was called to condemn an assault on pro-democracy protesters by masked men wielding wooden and metal sticks last week.
Police came under fire for arriving late to the scene and failing to stop last week's attacks, which are being blamed on triad gang members. Saturday's protest was banned by police in what BBC called a highly unusual move, considering Hong Kong normally allows demonstrations to proceed. Police reportedly feared clashes between protesters and residents of Yuen Long, the district where the rally and the previous violence took place.
The demonstration began peacefully, but became chaotic as the day went on. Police said protesters threw projectiles and vandalized a police car. Protesters have maintained the marches will continue until the city's government responds to their requests, which include the complete withdrawal of a controversial extradition bill, an inquiry into alleged police brutality, and the resignation of Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam.
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"It won't be stopped," Max Chung, a 39-year-old native of Yuen Long who applied to police on Tuesday for permission for the march to take place, said. "One of the slogans is 'spreading the blossoms.' We plant all the flowers and they blossom."
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