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Protesters, police fight pitched battles after historic ‘million-strong’ march against Hong Kong’s controversial extradition bill turns violent
- Officers, protesters suffer injuries, some needing hospital treatment, as police use batons and pepper spray to beat back mob of masked demonstrators
- Hours earlier peaceful mass rally drew historic numbers onto the streets to oppose government’s controversial extradition bill
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Hundreds of protesters fought pitched battles with police outside Hong Kong’s legislature and administrative headquarters late into Sunday night and early Monday morning, bringing a violent end to a peaceful mass rally that drew historic numbers onto the streets to oppose the government’s controversial extradition bill.
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Officers and protesters suffered injuries, some needing hospital treatment, as police used batons and pepper spray to beat back a mob of masked demonstrators trying to storm the Legislative Council building.
Hundreds of protesters started gathering around the legislature after the main mass rally, which organisers claimed was joined by more than 1 million people, came to an end at around 10pm.
While a large police contingent guarded the compound, two pro-independence groups, Student Localism and the Students Independent Union, called on the protesters to stay after the rally and storm the legislature.
At around midnight, hundreds of them, many wearing masks, dashed towards the police lines, aiming to force their way into the legislature.
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