Police HQ Gets Another Scrub After Second Protest

Workers cleaned up the police headquarters on Arsenal Street on Thursday morning following a second siege of the building by anti-extradition protesters in less than a week.

On Wednesday night, demonstrators had covered CCTV cameras with tape and spray-painted the large police badge on the side of the building. Graffiti had also been sprayed on the wall and, at one point, a banner was draped from the building.

There were no reports of serious incidents, but at least two legislators positioned themselves at the main entrance to act as "buffers" to prevent things getting out of control.

The crowd had been calling for the release of all those arrested in clashes with police on June 12, when police used tear gas and fired bean-bag guns at protesters near Legco. Officers, though, say their actions were justified as demonstrators had been throwing bricks and steel bars while trying to storm the building.

Earlier, thousands of people had turned out for an assembly in Edinburgh Place aimed at encouraging world leaders at the G20 summit to put pressure on the central and SAR governments over the now-suspended extradition bill.

The protesters want the bill, which critics say could undermine Hong Kong's legal system and see people sent to the mainland for trial, to be withdrawn.

However, Beijing has said that discussion of Hong Kong is strictly off limits at the meeting, which starts on Friday.