Teargas fired along Hennessy Road in Causeway Bay, half an hour into an unapproved march.
Earlier, the small squad of riot police were overwhelmed by the huge crowd that have showed up. Scattered objects thrown while they were retreating. Reinforcements have arrived since.
More teargas fired as riot police made a made dash along Hennessy Road. #HongKong people take to the street in this scale for the first time since #coronavirus hit, to protest against its government and the impending national security laws.
While riot police take a break protesters have spilled onto other streets, shouting slogans as they go. How and if the march will proceed is still unknown.
In a way, #HongKong has returned to the “norm” of 2019, with riot police on the streets ushering pedestrians to leave. At the same time, it feels like Hong Kong is no longer the same, with the new law delivering a death blow to HK’s freedom and way of life.
Police now dispersing reporters with a blue flag warning of an illegal assembly. Hardly any protesters in sight
Protesters trolling the police by erupting in cheers when they raised the warning flag. Most of the riot police now retreating.
Some of the masks police wore. In their recent report, police watchdog IPCC ruled that uniform worn by special tactical squad isn’t regarded as police uniform under the Police Force Ordinance, so it’s not necessary for them to display their warrant ID. 
For protests in the past, there is usually an end point or a route, even if it might change spontaneously. But today, there’s none. Among protesters, there’s only one rule, your safety and lives first. This is going to be a long fight.
More teargas fired along Hennessy Road, while the water cannon was used on the Canal Road flyover. Riot police remain on every block.
While one group of police detained a crowd for stop and search outside Sogo, another fired teargas from the other end of the road, so suddenly that their own colleagues were caught without their gas masks on.
Riot police arrested several youngsters, one with a shopping bag, and escorting them on to police vehicles.
Dozens of people arrested and escorted on a coach outside SOGO. On the left is a new graffiti on a pole that says 手足歸隊, “comrades, we are back”.
A woman wore her mask over her eyes and stood before the police with a cross in one hand and religious pamphlets in another. Exorcism or evangelism..?
A water cannon followed by an armoured vehicle and flanked by raptors and riot police now outside SOGO on Hennessy Road.
Reinforcements arrived at the junction of Hennessy Road and Yee Wo Street. Protesters have moved back but their chants of “Hong Kong Independence” can still be heard.
According to the #HongKongPolice, at least 120 people have been arrested today, mostly for illegal assembly.
More arrested after police rushed forward along Hennessy Road. A number of pepper balls fired as well.
Several first-aiders were allowed to attend to the woman detained, who seems to be feeling unwell. But now police are searching them and checking their ID as well.
Police dismantling a barrier set up on Great George Street. “If you’re not helping, go away,” an officer told passersby and later berated them, “you are all rubbish.”
After a long break, riot police in action again, running along Hennessy Road towards Wan Chai after some protesters left debris under the Canal Road flyover.
“Our blood and sweat. How can we forget?”
With the new national security laws imposed, #HongKong people grow further from their simple wish of living in freedom.
And the flashlights are back as well. Police warning people at the scene they are violating social distancing rules. Officer also accused Legislator Ted Hui of instigating disorder for speaking with a mic.
Blood stains left on the floor where a protester was hit by pepper ball and arrested by police. According to Stand News, the wound was so deep it exposed the bone. For those writing today’s headline, pls make clear it was state violence that occurred on the streets of HK today.
And while we are all in bed, families and friends of some 160 arrested today are waiting outside the Wan Chai police station for their loved ones to be released. It’s a sad sight that will only become increasingly common in HK. Photo: Stand News
**North Point Police Station
