Hong Kong: Police use tear gas at protesters, violence breaks out at Yuen Long

Riot police on Sunday fired tear gas at protesters here, after lakhs of people took to the streets for the seventh consecutive week against the now-suspended extradition bill.

Orgsers estimate that more than 4,00,000 people joined the rally, while the police said that about 1,38,000 people took part in the march, according to South China Morning Post.

The protesters wore black and chanted "Free Hong Kong!" as they marched through the city.

However, several defied police orders and marched beyond the designated point towards the Chinese government's liaison office. They spray-painted slogans on walls before being pushed back by the protesters.

While the protests were initially triggered by an extradition bill which would allow China to extradite citizens to face trial in the mainland, the demonstrations have now evolved into a wider call for democratic reform.

Hong Kong, a Chinese special administrative region, is currently administered under the "one country, two systems" policy.

Counter-protests also took place in Hong Kong on Sunday. Meanwhile, violence broke out in Yuen Long when passengers -- wearing black, the colour of the protesters -- on the Mass Transit Railway were attacked by a group of men dressed in white. They fled before the police reached the site of the incident.

( With inputs from ANI )