UPDATE: The protesters agreed to leave the legislative building after the police said they will "sweep" the building. Most are vacating the premise, but a few intend to stay for a final showdown with the police, according to a tweet.
There are FOUR protestors who have decided to remain in the Legco chamber. Others have left the building.
— antiELAB (@anti_elab) July 1, 2019
ORIGINAL:
Thousands of Hong Kong protesters forcefully broke into the city-state’s legislative building and vandalized it, escalating weeks of protest to a new level on Monday night.
The dissidents, clad in yellow helmets and coughing masks to protect their identities, tore down the metal fences surrounding the legislative complex and shattered windows. Within hours, the protesters assumed control of the building, spray-painting slogans and raising the Hong Kong colonial government flags.
#LIVE: A young #antiELAB protester called for people to stay and occupy #legco chamber. "The more people there is, the safer it is." pic.twitter.com/UDu4jYN65w
— Lok. (@sumlokkei) July 1, 2019
Breaking: the moment when protesters made their way to Legco chamber. pic.twitter.com/7HfnvJDVbc
— Alvin Lum (@alvinllum) July 1, 2019
Hong Kong’s police defended the complex for hours but were “nowhere to be seen” as the protesters broke into the building, an eyewitness tweeted.
Protesters are now swarming inside Legco. Police (who were in this very spot before) nowhere to be seen. pic.twitter.com/qLDD7kpFeO
— Antony Dapiran (@antd) July 1, 2019
The city state’s police force has promised that they will “clear the vicinity shortly and if obstructed or resisted, the police would use an appropriate level of force” in a statement posted on Facebook, the Guardian reported.
Conflicting reports are coming out about how the protesters are reacting to the police statement. Some say the protesters hope to stand their ground, while others tweeted that most protesters have vacated the premises already.
[2301 HKT] Inside Legco now. Sources say most have left the building. pic.twitter.com/9rQUPbnzMI
— antiELAB (@anti_elab) July 1, 2019
A pro-Democratic legislator raised concerns that the demonstrators may have been lured into a “trap” set by the government. The lawmaker warned that the radical action may alienate supporters and justify a possible government crackdown.
“This is a complete trap, I’m sorry that people played into it,” pro dem lawmaker Fernando Cheung says inside the chamber. Says police could have easily cleared protesters earlier but allowed this to happen. pic.twitter.com/ODrInQX464
— ?????????? ?????????????????? ?????????????????? (@jgriffiths) July 1, 2019
Protesters in the legislature also took to vandalism, writing protest slogans on the walls and destroying offices.
LegCo security and facilities management office getting trashed.
— Alex Hofford (@alexhofford) July 1, 2019
#antiELAB#NoChinaExtradition#SaveHongKong pic.twitter.com/6nobyJzIwf
Protesters in the process of tearing LegCo apart. Police nowhere to be seen. Barricading some entrances, will be very difficult and dangerous to clear them. pic.twitter.com/BkurSpnov1
— ?????????? ?????????????????? ?????????????????? (@jgriffiths) July 1, 2019
Others meanwhile raised their own flags at the legislature. On Twitter, users posted photos of the colonial-era Hong Kong flag and the Union Jack.
Protestors occupied the Legco in Hong Kong, this is the chamber right now. @nytimes pic.twitter.com/9ryoKhs0pG
— Lam Yik Fei (@LamYikFei) July 1, 2019
That's not just the colonial era HK flag. That's a full-on Union Jack. https://t.co/2mAYWQvzHw
— Yuichiro Kakutani (@yuichikakutani) July 1, 2019
The Hong Kong government moved its annual event commemorating the end of colonial rule in the city-state indoors due to “inclement weather." This was the first time that has happened, according to the Washington Post.
The protesters who took over the complex broke off from the government-recognized march that annually draws hundreds of thousands of people. The government-sanctioned march occurs each year on July 1 to commemorate the day that the British government handed over Hong Kong to the Chinese government in 1997.