Liaison Office, Causeway Bay Become Protest Fronts

Two separate fronts were being formed on Hong Kong Island in a dramatic escalation of the scale of Sunday's anti-extradition protests.

Thousands of protesters who were attending a rally in Chater Garden started marching towards Causeway Bay at around 3:30 pm, grinding traffic to a halt. They have now set up barriers and blocked roads near Sogo department store.

Another group was making its presence felt in Sheung Wan. Officers have been deployed, and security has been beefed up, at the central government's liaison office and at Western police station.

The march to Causeway Bay took many by surprise -- even those who had joined the march.

A protester who goes by the name of Alex admitted she did not know the final destination.

"People just basically disagree with the government," she said. "Whatever direction they're going to, they're going to join in."

"This is the amount of people who would come out, every Saturday and Sunday."

Farther west, Des Voeux Road Central was closed temporarily as many bus routes were suspended or diverted.

Police fear that the liaison office and Western police station may become targets for demonstrators.