Marchers Ignore Police, Head Towards Admiralty

Extradition bill protesters defied the police on Sunday and continued their march towards Admiralty after reaching the agreed finishing point in Wan Chai.

The force had earlier insisted that the march end by Southorn Playground.

When the first of the marchers arrived there in under an hour, organisers from the Civil Human Rights Front did ask people to disperse.

But they added that the participants should ask the police which way they should go.

At this point, officers suddenly removed their cordon and retreated, clearing the way for people to carry on with their march.

While many headed towards Admiralty, some instead assembled in Arsenal Street, outside the police headquarters.

Tens of thousands had joined the latest mass demonstration against the government and its failed extradition law bill.

Initially, the crowd gathered at the starting point in Victoria Park didn't appear to be that large, considering the hundreds of thousands who took part in previous rallies in recent weeks.

But many people opted to join the march along the route instead, with a large crowd assembling in advance by the Sogo shopping mall.

By around 4.40pm, the protesters had taken over all but one lane of Queensway as they pushed ahead with the march.

The police had refused the original plan for a march to Admiralty or Central citing safety concerns, with the Civil Human Rights Front losing an appeal against that decision.