A huge peaceful protest in Hong Kong against controversial plans to allow extraditions to the Chinese mainland descended into violence early Monday as police fought running battles with small pockets of demonstrators. But shortly after midnight violence flared as police moved to clear small groups of protesters who had vowed to stay overnight outside parliament. Just hours earlier protesters had been celebrating the huge turnout, hoping it would prompt the government into rethinking the law. Hong Kong’s leaders say the law is needed to plug loopholes and stop the city being a bolthole for mainland fugitives. Also read: China’s influence creeps up on foreign media: Report.

Source: Hindustan Times June 10, 2019 04:18 UTC