Police officers fire tear gas during a demonstration against a proposed extradition bill in Hong Kong
VICTORIA, July 1 (MENA) - Protesters have used a metal trolley and pylons to try to storm Hong Kong's Legislative Council building, smashing windows in a fresh wave of demonstrations that have plunged the Chinese-ruled city into political turmoil, the ABC News reported.
The renewed chaos in the Asian financial hub came after police and protesters faced off earlier in the day.
Police used pepper spray and batons against anti-government protesters who had seized highways ahead of what was expected to be a huge pro-democracy rally on the anniversary of the city's handover to China.
The semi-autonomous city has been shaken by huge demonstrations in the past three weeks as protesters demanded the withdrawal of a bill that would allow extraditions to the Chinese mainland.
Tensions spiked once more in the financial hub as dawn broke on Monday after thousands of mainly young, masked protesters seized three key thoroughfares, deploying metal and plastic barriers to block the roads.
Shortly before a flag-raising ceremony to mark the handover, police swooped on protesters who had blockaded one street, with at least one female protester seen bleeding from a head wound after the clashes.
The ongoing rallies are the latest manifestation of growing fears that China is stamping down on the city's freedoms and culture with the help of the financial hub's pro-Beijing leaders.
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