Government Presses Ahead As Protesters Cleared

Despite a massive turnout at Sunday's protest against the government's extradition bill, authorities are pushing ahead with the proposal. It's to be debated in Legco on Wednesday.

The last of the protesters have been cleared from outside the Old Wan Chai Police Station, where they had been surrounded by police, following violent clashes in the early hours of the morning.

Police arrested seven men aged between 21 and 33. One was arrested for assaulting a police officer, two were arrested for criminal damage, one for theft and three for attempted theft and common assault.

The clashes followed a largely peaceful demonstration, with organisers estimating more than a million people had joined the march from Victoria Park in Causeway Bay to the Legco headquarters in Tamar.

Police put the figure at 240,000 at the march's peak.

During the night, some protesters blocked the eastbound lanes of Gloucester Road in Wan Chai. They had earlier gathered outside Legco, where there were scuffles with police.

Protesters then played a cat and mouse game with riot police, dragging metal railings into nearby Lung Wo Road and dumping large rubbish bins from the bridge above. They then retreated as police approached with the unrest spilling into Wan Chai around the Hong Kong Arts centre on Harbour Road.

Police Commissioner Stephen Lo on Monday condemned the violence, which he said left at least three officers injured. Two suffered head wounds, while another hurt his leg, Lo said. He also noted that one journalist was injured.

The huge turnout underlines the public's concerns about the government's proposed changes to extradition laws, which could see suspects transferred to the mainland.