Hong Kong police are firing rubber bullets in an attempt to disperse anti-government protesters.
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside Prince Edward station in Mong Kok took cover behind umbrellas and barricades fashioned from street fencing as police deployed tear gas, rubber bullets and pepper spray.
Some protesters had plastered the walls of the station with graffiti and torn down signs after breaking through a metal grill to enter the building.
Crowds gathered outside Prince Edward station to call for the release of CCTV footage from clashes last weekend
The station was closed during rush hour as crowds gathered to call for the release of CCTV footage of a violent clash between police and protesters at the station last week, according to the South China Morning Post.
Hundreds blocked traffic in the area and also targeted the nearby Mong Kok police station.
Firefighters were seen trying to put out a blaze after protesters set fire to a blockade.
It is the latest confrontation following 14 weeks of anti-government demonstrations which have at times turned violent.
Riot police fired tear gas, rubber bullets and pepper spray at protesters
“We’re angry at the police and angry at the government,” said Justin, 23, who had joined the protests dressed in black and wearing a hoodie.
“Police was very brutal with us at this station. We cannot let them get away with it.”
Video footage from the violent clash at the station on Sunday shows officers beating up, pepper spraying and arresting passengers who police said were violent demonstrators.
Protesters set fire to a blockade during the violent clash
Earlier this week, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announced the formal withdrawal of the bill that triggered the demonstrations.
The bill would have meant that criminals could be extradited to the Chinese mainland – a move which demonstrators argued would tamper with the region’s autonomy.
Hong Kong is Chinese-ruled but has an independent judiciary which dates back to its time as a former British colony.
Police were seen firing rubber bullets at protesters
Protesters say Ms Lam’s withdrawal of the bill, marking an attempt to restore order in the city, is too little, too late.
The demonstrations have since evolved into calls for more democracy and the withdrawal of the bill is only one of the protesters’ five key demands.
Other demands from the protesters are: retracting the word “riot” from the description of rallies; the release of all arrested demonstrators; an independent enquiry into the police’s alleged brutality; and the right for the people of Hong Kong to democratically choose their own leaders.
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