Siege Of Police HQ Fizzles Out After Earlier Drama

An overnight siege of police headquarters in Wan Chai by anti-extradition protesters ended largely without incident early Thursday morning, after the majority of demonstrators had left.

Police began clearing barricades from the entrances to Arsenal House, and moving out onto nearby streets, with most of the hundred or so remaining protesters retreating from the area.

Only a few dozen hard-core protesters stayed, vastly outnumbered by police who nonetheless maintained a relatively low profile.

The situation was a far cry from earlier in the night, when about a thousand people marched from a much larger anti-extradition rally in Central and surrounded the station, demanding justice over allegations of excessive police force and arrests and chanting slogans such as "Hong Kong police knowingly break the law".

Some people spray-painted CCTV cameras to prevent video recording, and makeshift barriers were erected outside the main gates. There had been no reports of serious incidents, but at least two legislators positioned themselves at the main entrance to act as "buffers" if tensions got out of control.

The crowd demanded the release of all those arrested in clashes with police earlier this month, and for Police Commissioner Stephen Lo to come and meet them face-to-face.

Tensions have been running high over allegations of police brutality during the June 12 demonstration outside Legco, as well as the classification of the protest as a riot. However officers say their actions were justified as demonstrators were 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. However, Beijing has said that discussion of Hong Kong is strictly off limits at the meeting, which starts on Friday.