Tear gas used to disperse protesters in Hong Kong

Hong Kong police fired tear gas to disperse democracy protesters marching in sweltering heat on Saturday after pro-China groups pulled down some of the “Lennon Walls” of anti-government messages in the Chinese-ruled city.

Hong Kong entered its 16th straight weekend of protests on Saturday with a march in Tuen Mun.  The event, approved by an appeals board after an initial police objection, is about livelihood issues, the organisers say. They plan to target so-called dama, middle-aged women seen as a public nuisance by local residents irritated by their song-and-dance performances in neighbourhood parks. 

Elsewhere, protesters plan a sit-in at Yuen Long MTR station on Saturday night to mark two months since gangs of men wearing white attacked commuters, including black-clad demonstrators returning from a mass rally.

Earlier in the day, a citywide campaign by pro-Beijing groups to remove anti-government posts on so-called Lennon Walls attracted a much smaller turnout than expected. Protesters did not show up at the murals to confront their opponents, but returned in the afternoon to replenish the walls with posts and even flowers. Others are expected to make a comeback at the protest in Tuen Mun in the afternoon.

Via South China Morning Post