Hong Kong riot police fired repeated tear gas rounds on Saturday evening at pro-democracy protesters in a popular tourist district, as violence rocked the international finance hub once more despite increasingly stern warnings from China. The semi-autonomous southern Chinese financial hub has seen two months of protests and clashes triggered by opposition to a planned extradition law that quickly evolved into a wider movement for democratic reforms.
Authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing this week signalled a hardening stance, including with the arrests of dozens of protesters, and the Chinese military saying it was ready to quell the "intolerable" unrest if requested. But protesters have remained unyielding, vowing to hold multiple occupations and rallies in the coming days. Saturday's violence - the ninth consecutive weekend of clashes - took place in Tsim Sha Tsui, a usually bustling harbourside district known for its luxury malls and hotels.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2019

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