Police Remove Barriers After Protesters Disperse

Anti-extradition protesters, who had been surrounding police headquarters on Arsenal Street in Wan Chai, have now dispersed. Police are dismantling the barriers that the protesters had put up around the building.

Coaches and minibuses were arranged to take home staff and ancillary workers, who hadn't been able to leave when the protest started on Friday. Others were seen walking out of the building.

At around midnight paramedics had gone into the building after a number of people said they felt unwell. Four men and nine women, some on stretchers, were taken to hospital. One was a pregnant woman and footage also showed frail and elderly people leaving.

Protesters made way for them as the paramedics were directed through the crowd.

The protesters took action on Friday after the government failed to meet their demands by a deadline of 5 pm on Thursday.

They want the now-suspended extradition bill to be completely withdrawn, an investigation into the behaviour of the police during the June 12 protest, the government's designation of that protest as a "riot" to be cancelled, and the release without charge of those arrested during the protest.

Earlier, the government criticised the action of the protesters saying they had created a lot of disruption and some 999 calls couldn't be dealt with immediately because police headquarters was surrounded.

Meanwhile, the Transport Department has said Tim Mei Avenue, Harcourt Road, Tim Wa Avenue, and Arsenal Street remain closed. It also said parts of Gloucester Road and Garden Road had been affected.

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