Police in Hong Kong today used tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters in a commercial district where thousands protested against China's proposed tough national security law that would apply to the semi-autonomous city.
At least 120 people were arrested, mostly for illegal assembly, the police said, adding that prominent activist Tam Tak-shi was also arrested "for illegal assembly", but he claims that he was only giving a speech.
The police stated that the demonstrators threw bricks and an "unknown liquid" at the police officers, and that at least four policemen were injured.
Pro-democracy supporters in Hong Kong sharply criticized last week's draft law on national security, which also bans "secessionist and subversive activity" and "foreign interference" in the semi-autonomous Chinese region.
Critics believe that the law is against the legal framework of "One Country - Two Systems" which guarantees Hong Kong wider freedoms than other areas of China.
Masses of pro-democracy protesters, marked by wearing black clothing, gathered today in Hong Kong's Causeway Bay neighborhood to protest the proposed law. They shouted: "Stand by Hongkong!", "Free Hongkong!" and "Revolution!".
Hong Kong's pro-democracy protest movement began last year, with occasional violence and clashes with police.
The bill that fueled today's protests was introduced to China's parliament on Friday and is expected to be passed on May 28.
It would bypass Hong Kong's parliament and allow the city's government to set up mainland Chinese agencies in the city, allowing Chinese agents to arbitrarily arrest people for activities deemed to violate the law.
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