Hong Kong police drew their guns and fired a warning shot after being chased by protesters

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Policemen pull out their guns after a confrontation with demonstrators during a protest in Hong Kong, Sunday, Aug. 25, 2019. Hong Kong police have rolled out water cannon trucks for the first time in this summer's pro-democracy protests. The two trucks moved forward with riot officers Sunday evening as they pushed protesters back along a street in the outlying Tsuen Wan district. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)Associated Press

Violence in Hong Kong continues to escalate after a weekend of chaotic clashes between protestors and police.

Hong Kong police officers drew their guns and reportedly fired a warning shot after being attacked by protestors with sticks and rods on Sunday night, reported the Associated Press. 

The incident occurred after police used tear gas to clear a large group of protestors in the Tsuen Wan district. A remaining group of protestors reportedly called the police "gangsters" following a standoff. 

It’s the culmination of a violent day in Tsuen Wan. What began as a peaceful march ended in a face-off that involved protestors throwing petrol bombs and bricks. Police used water cannons for the first time during the summer Hong Kong protests, directing them towards barricades and open space without targeting protesters.

The previous day, similar events occured in Kwun Tong, which began with a peaceful march to protest against government-installed "smart lampposts" that sparked concerns over state surveillance.

Read more: Striking photos show how this weekend’s Hong Kong protests escalated into violence with makeshift weapons, water cannons, and tear gas

But some protestors reportedly dismantled some poles with saws and ropes, shutting down streets and wielding slingshots, poles, and iron bars in a fight with police, reported Business Insider’s Ellen Cranley. Police fired pepper spray and tear gas, breaking a 10-day streak of no tear gas and adding to the 1,800 canisters police said they have fired in the clashes since the movement first emerged in June.

The protests began in response to a now-suspended bill that would have allowed courts to extradite Hong Kong residents to mainland China. They developed into a fight over democracy in Hong Kong, addressing free elections and independent investigations into alleged police brutality.

For nearly three months, hundreds of thousands of protesters have organized several large-scale marches, the storming of government buildings, widespread strikes around the city, and the shutting down of an airport. 

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See Also:

SEE ALSO: Hong Kong police deployed water cannons for the first time after protests over surveillance turned violent

SEE ALSO: Hong Kong protests descended into violence over surveillance concerns on the movement’s 12th weekend

Source: Business Insider – hhoffower@businessinsider.com (Hillary Hoffower)

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