Pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong broke into a government complex Friday night amidst ongoing demonstrations against China's crackdown on the region's voting rights.
The BBC reports at least 100 protesters broke through police cordons and scaled security fences guarding a forecourt outside Hong Kong's government headquarters. Police used pepper spray to help turn back the crowd, and several arrests were made.
One of the arrested protesters was reportedly 17-year-old Joshua Wong, a prominent student organizer who's been a key leader in the protest movement. Hong Kong's government says Wong is charged with assaulting the police.
The clash came just after a weeklong student protest wrapped up Friday — thousands of pupils boycotted classes and rallied in public spaces to protest against Chinese rule.
And all of these protests are leading up to a major sit-in planned for Oct. 1, organized by the Occupy Central movement. The rally is expected to last several days and tie up Hong Kong's business district; protest organizers told reporters they expect over 10,000 people will join the rally.
The demonstrations are all in protest of a recent decision by China's Communist government to curb Hong Kong's democratic elections, slated to take place in 2017.
Hong Kong was guaranteed the right to elect their own leader when Britain handed the region over to China in 1997; but in August, China announced it would screen and approve all of Hong Kong's candidates before the election.
Hong Kong responded to the move with street protests and demonstrations — pro-democracy protesters are campaigning for universal suffrage rights from China. (Video via Euronews)
It's also worth noting not everyone in Hong Kong is opposing Chinese rule. Pro-Beijing protesters in Hong Kong have accused the pro-democracy movement of being Western-backed and destructive to the region. (Video via YouTube / 幫港出聲 Silent Majority)
So far, Beijing hasn't budged in response to the protesters; Chinese President Xi Jinping met with a contingent of Hong Kong's wealthy tycoons earlier in the week, during which the government reiterated its stance on Hong Kong's elections.
