Police tear gas, pepper spray and batons flooded the front of Hong Kong government headquarters Sunday afternoon as the authorities cracked down on thousands of protesters who refused to end their three-day rallies and street blockades across the city.
The pro-democracy demonstration expanded to unprecedented levels over the weekend. According to the Associated Press, the protests are led by mostly students and young adults who feel that “Beijing has failed to keep promises of greater democracy for the territory.” Beijing rejected a proposal that would allow open nominations for a 2017 leadership election (the first of its kind in Hong Kong) last month. Instead, all candidates will be picked by a panel mostly aligned with Beijing, AP reports.
>>> China’s Communists See Red When Hong Kong Demands Democracy
These photos take you into the streets and show the people of Hong Kong — those crying for freedom, and those trying to keep it away.
