Published 20:17 IST, September 29th 2019
Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters defy police ban, march on
Thousands of people have marched in the capital city of Taiwan in support of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests on September 29 despite torrential rains.
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Thousands of people have marched in Taiwan in support of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests on September 29. The pro-democracy protestors took to the streets of the capital city, Taiwan on Sunday despite torrential rains. Most of the protestors wore black robes and gas masks to prevent themselves from police's tear gas and cannon shells. Hong Kong is a former British colony that was returned to China in 1997. The semiautonomous city has more freedom than mainland China, but protesters feel those freedoms are being eroded. Taiwan is a self-governing island that split from the mainland in 1949. Government surveys indicate that most Taiwanese oppose unification with China.
The clash occurred between the protestors and the police
A police squad gheraoed the protestors and started firing tear gas to get control of the situation surrounding the government office complex after the protestors started pelting stones and some objects. They also attempted to vandalize the barriers that were put by the police. The police to get a grip of the situation started spraying blue water to disperse the crowd. Hundreds of protestors regrouped again sprayed graffiti and hurled objects over the barricades. The police squad, backed by scores of riot officers, suddenly streamed out and pursued protesters down roads to nearby areas. They continued to fire multiple rounds of tear gas in the continuing cat-and-mouse battle. They subdued and detained some of the protestors. Many protestors fled from the spot after the riot police e fired multiple rounds of tear gas to disperse a large crowd that amassed at the Causeway Bay shopping area. But protesters returned and started their march shortly after. Some are carrying American and British flags. Riot police have thrown tear gas and sealed off part of a street at Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay shopping belt after a large crowd started to amass for an anti-China rally ahead of Tuesday’s National Day celebrations.
Hundreds of pro-China supporters in Hong Kong sang the Chinese national anthem
Hundreds of pro-China supporters in Hong Kong sang the Chinese national anthem and waved red flags to commemorate China's 70th national anniversary to counter anti-government pro-democratic protests on September 29 that have questioned Beijing's rule. The rally which supported Beijing just came after another day of violence in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory that sparked widespread violence between the pro-China and pro-democratic protestors. It could ultimately result in embarrassing Chinese President Xi Jinping as his ruling Communist Party marks its 70th year in power on Tuesday. The pro-democracy protestors have called for a major rally to coincide with the celebrations in Beijing.
19:41 IST, September 29th 2019