Mong Kok Marchers Split Off In All Directions

Protesters set off from Mong Kok's Anchor Street Playground for the city's latest anti-government march at around 4pm on Saturday afternoon, but within minutes they were heading in various directions and not along the agreed route.

While some of the thousands of protesters appeared to be making their way to Tai Kok Tsui as expected, others went an entirely different way and managed to take over all six lanes of Nathan Road.

When the crowd left the starting point, many more people joined them from outside the playground.

They advanced at a snail's pace, some chanting "Hongkongers keep going!" and others that pro-government legislator Junius Ho – who has been accused of supporting a mob attack in Yuen Long last month – is "a gangster".

There were also calls for people to join a citywide strike planned for Monday.

A number of pro-democracy legislators, including Fernando Cheung and Claudia Mo, had joined a rally ahead of the march, urging the protesters to protect themselves.

Families with young children and some elderly people also took part in the rally.

The marchers had been given permission to head to Cherry Street Park in Tai Kok Tsui, west of Mong Kok, after their original application to head to Macpherson Stadium was denied by the police.

But an organiser said earlier that he would try to negotiate with police if the marchers deviated from the agreed route.

Reporters at the scene said, however, that very few police officers appeared to be present.