HONG KONG (Reuters) – Police in Hong Kong fired pepper pellets and made 360 arrests as thousands of people required to the streets on Wednesday in anger over national security legislation proposed by China that has raised global alarm over flexibilities in the city.
In the heart of the monetary district, riot police fired pepper pellets to disperse a crowd. Elsewhere authorities rounded up groups of believed protesters, making them rest on walkways before searching their personal belongings.
Late into the night, protesters were still packing walkways, shouting for full democracy and for Hong Kong to seek independence from China, saying this is now “the only way out”.
A heavy police presence around the Legal Council had earlier prevented protesters from interfering with an argument of a bill that would criminalise disrespect of the Chinese nationwide anthem. The bill is expected to be passed into law next month.
Angry over perceived threats to the semi-autonomous city’s freedoms, individuals of any ages rallied, some worn black, some using workplace clothing or school uniforms and some hiding their faces below open umbrellas in scenes similar to the unrest that shook Hong Kong in 2015.
” Although you hesitate inside your heart, you need to speak out,” said Chang, 29, a clerk and protester dressed in black with a helmet respirator and safety glasses in