Hong Kong protests: Riot police hit the streets after thousands march through city for latest demonstration

Riot police took to the streets of Hong Kong today after thousands of schoolteachers marched through the Chinese territory in the latest weekend of protests.

Pro-democracy protesters marched on one side of Hong Kong's famous harbour while, across the water, a pro-government rally called for an end to the often violent protests.

The duelling demonstrations highlighted the political divide in the semiautonomous region, which for 10 weeks has been rocked by protests that show no signs of relenting.

"The government right now doesn't listen to the people, and the police are too violent," said Bobby Tse, a 76-year-old retiree who watched the pro-democracy march from a bridge. "It didn't used to be like this.

"We didn't have to protest every week. But now even though we have protests every week, the government still gives no response."

At the pro-government rally, speakers on a stage said they love both Hong Kong and China and asked the protesters why they are afraid of China.

Supporters gave a thumbs-up to police officers and posed for photos with them. Leo Chen, a 47-year-old driver, said he came out because he wants peace in his city of 7.4 million people.

"Before, everyone in Hong Kong helped each other, it was very harmonious," he said. "Now to see it become like this, I'm not happy, so I've come out to show a little strength."

[[gallery-0]]

It came after thousands of school teachers marched throught the city in solidarity with the protesters.

Carrying signs that read "protect the next generation" and umbrellas to ward off intermittent downpours, teachers marched to the official residence of the city's leader.

The crowds tied white ribbons to a metal fence near Government House to show their support for the protesters, who have taken to the streets since early June and include many students.

They called on Carrie Lam’s government to answer protesters' demands and stop using what they called “police violence” to disperse demonstrators.

"We want to protect our students, our youngsters, so teachers are willing to come out and speak for the youngsters, and also, to stand by them so they are not alone," said Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union president Fung Wai-wah, which organised the march.

Protesters marched through the Kowloon side of Victoria Harbour, mindful of a pro-government counter-rally was about to kick off.

"Even though we're all scared of getting arrested, we have to keep going," said Minnie Lee, a 31-year-old logistics worker who was marching in Kowloon.

"What we are fighting for is democracy and our rights. We're not doing anything wrong. If we stop now, things will only get worse."

As the teachers' rally dispersed, demonstrations continued throughout the afternoon.

Riot police were deployed to chase down a group of protesters they accused of assembling illegally following the sanctioned protest march.

The demonstrators had gathered outside a police station on Saturday evening, shining laser pointers and throwing eggs at officers guarding the entrance.

Riot police formed a line on a nearby street, thumping their batons on their shields as they started marching.

But by that time, most protesters had already dispersed into Hong Kong's densely populated Mong Kok district, leaving officers to face the anger of local residents, who yelled for them to go home and accused them of being members of crime gangs.

The pro-democracy movement's demands include Ms Lam's resignation, democratic elections and an independent investigation into police use of force.

China's paramilitary People's Armed Police has been holding drills this week across the border in Shenzhen, fueling speculation that they could be sent in to suppress the protests.

Officers could be seen drilling inside a sports stadium on Saturday, and dozens of army-green armoured carriers and trucks are parked in and outside the facility.

But Hong Kong police have insisted they are capable of handling the protests on their own.

"I can tell you we're confident the police have the capability to maintain law and order," said Kowloon City district commander Yeung Man-pun when questioned on the possibility of the deployment of mainland security forces.

Outside Hong Kong, international protestors rallied in support of both the pro-democracy movement and China.

In Australia, at least 200 protesters descended on Sydney Town Hall, chanting "Long live China" and singing the Chinese national anthem, while a protest in support of the pro-democracy movement continued in Melbourne.

The Melbourne rally turned ugly on Friday night, with police moving in to separate some 100 pro-China protesters from those sympathetic to Hong Kong.

Saturday's protest in the southern city was peaceful.

Among the pro-Hong Kong demonstrators were members of China's Tibetan and Uighur ethnic minorities, as well as Vietnamese groups.

In Taiwan, people held a flash mob demonstration in Taipei, the island's capital, in support of the Hong Kong protests.