Thousands of pro-democracy activists forced the temporary closure of the Hong Kong government's headquarters this morning amid clashes with police which broke out when demonstrators defied ordered to leave the area. Chaos erupted as commuters made their way to work, with officers engaged in a tense stand-off with hundreds of protesters who had surrounded Admiralty Centre - a vast complex which houses offices and retail outlets. The central government offices and the legislature were forced to close during the stand-off, as were scores of shops. The latest flare-up, during which police charged protesters with batons and pepper spray, marked an escalation in the civil disobedience movement which has seen sustained anti-government protests for the past two months. It also underscored the frustration of protesters at Beijing's refusal to budge on electoral reforms and grant greater democracy to the former British colony.
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Thousands of pro-democracy activists forced temporary closure of Hong Kong government's headquarters
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Police officers charged protesters with batons and pepper spray after the defied orders to retreat from area
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Latest flare-up marked escalation in the former British colony's two-month old civil disobedience movement
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Also underscored the frustration of protesters at Beijing's refusal to grant pro-democracy electoral reforms
Downing Street said that the action had 'amplified' concerns about the situation in Hong Kong, which has enjoyed a degree of autonomy from @placeholder under the "one country, two systems" arrangements instituted at the time of its handover from UK control in 1997.
The latest clashes highlight the challenges authorities face as a restive younger generation contests @placeholder's grip on the financial hub and demands greater democracy.