TEAR GAS FIRED AT HONG KONG PRO-DEMOCRACY PROTEST

Tear gas fired at Hong Kong pro-democracy protest Riot police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters attending a large pro-democracy rally in Hong Kong, and charged demonstrators who threw objects at police lines. The protest route was altered with protesters told to stop at Wan Chai rather than Central, where the key government offices are located. Some 4,000 police officers were deployed. Bonnie Leung from the Civil Human Rights Front urged Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam to "stop turning a deaf ear to the Hong Kong people's demands". Organisers of Sunday's protest say more than 430,000 people took part but police put the figure at 138,000. Mass protests have been held for weeks, initially over an extradition deal with mainland China but now covering other issues on democracy in Hong Kong. Late on Sunday, riot police equipped with masks and shields were seen swarming towards protesters close to a ferry terminal on the main island.