Hong Kong police pepper-sprayed pro-democracy activists today as they tried to storm a venue where a top Government official tried to explain Beijing's decision not to grant the former British colony full democracy. Scuffles had broken out at the entrance to the Asia World Expo convention centre where Li Fei, deputy secretary general of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, told delegates that China will not tolerate a local leader who is disloyal to the mainland. Pro-democracy activists inside the building heckled Li, shouting slogans and interrupting his speech explaining Beijing's decision to rule out a fully democratic election for the city's next leader in 2017.
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Activists stormed hall where China's NPC deputy secretary general spoke
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He was explaining why Beijing did not grant full democracy to Honk Kong
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Demonstrators who heckled him were bundled out shouting slogans
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Activists want elected leader, but rulers want unelected committee to choose
About 100 activists had gathered for Li's speech, some waving British colonial flags and banners with an 'X' over the @placeholder characters for 'communism' amid a heavy police presence