At least 25 police officers were injured and over 180 people were arrested on Tuesday, which turned out to be "one of Hong Kong’s most violent and chaotic days," police chief Stephen Lo Wai Chung said, as quoted by the South China Morning Post newspaper late on Tuesday night.
Earlier, it was reported that over 30 people were injured in violent clashes between Hong Kong protesters and police on Tuesday, with two people in critical condition at the hospital.
Anti-government protests were not authorized in Hong Kong on Tuesday, a day on which major celebrations were held in the Chinese capital to mark the 70th anniversary of China's founding.
Hong Kong authorities said that the unauthorized anti-government protests resulted in damage to public property and buildings, including government offices. The protesters also stormed some subway stations, disrupting their work. Planned fireworks were cancelled and some of the anniversary celebration events had to be altered.
Hong Kong, which returned to China in 1997 and enjoys a special administrative status, has seen a wave of rallies that were initially organized in protest against proposed amendments to the city's extradition law.
After the controversial extradition bill, which would have allowed people to be sent to mainland China for trial, was withdrawn, more demonstrations were organized with protesters unleashing additional demands.
Beijing views the situation to be the result of foreign interference in China's domestic affairs and expresses full support for the actions of local authorities, which have stressed that force is only being used against protesters who engage in violent or unlawful behaviour.
