The umbrellas are to ward off the pepper spray.
Hong Kong was promised a say in electing their chief executive, but Beijing pulled a bait and switch, not fulfilling that promise, now saying “wait until 2017”. I don’t think they’re going to wait…
HONG KONG: Police fired tear gas as tens of thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators brought parts of central Hong Kong to a standstill Sunday (Sep 28), in a dramatic escalation of protests that have gripped the semi-autonomous Chinese city for days.
There were chaotic scenes, with protesters screaming “Shame!” at police as they tried to shield themselves from the clouds of gas, AFP reporters said. Several scuffles broke out between police in riot gear and demonstrators angered by the use of tear gas, which is rare in Hong Kong. An elderly woman was seen being carried away by protesters.
Video of police using tear gas:
IMAGE: #HongKong police use tear gas against pro-democracy protesters pic.twitter.com/Rf2iZ8F0Uq #OccupyCentral
— RT (@RT_com) September 28, 2014
Police face protesters on two fronts on Connaught road, Central #occupycentral pic.twitter.com/Q6b8ebHkj6
— Benjamin Haas 本雅明 (@haasbenjamin) September 28, 2014
#Police warning at Statue Square: Disperse or we fire via @lamkayblog #OccupyCentral pic.twitter.com/sXwxxOySgR
— Galileo Cheng (@galileo44) September 28, 2014
Here are livestreams of the action:
Here’s another as well.
Update
China has now blocked Instagram, presumably to prevent the pictures of the massive protests from reaching the mainland.
Instagram is now blocked in mainland China. Because Hong Kong? pic.twitter.com/GSw7bGkvla
— Alan Wong (@byAlanWong) September 28, 2014
Here’s an Instagram picture showing some of the 50,000 who were gathered in Central:
Once again a demonstration that this “Occupy” is not like Occupy in this country:
“50,000+ protesters in Hong Kong 0 shops damaged 0 cars on fire #OccupyCentral”
