Hong Kong protesters clash with police

Hong KOng, Nov 19 (IANS/TASS) Fierce clashes erupted near government buildings in Hong Kong Wednesday, a day after police removed barricades from the city centre.

Dozens of students wearing surgical masks attempted to break glass doors of the city's legislature and storm the building. Police used batons and tear gas against them.

Several people have been injured and a number of arrests have also been made.

The clash occurred after police dismantled barricades near the government complex in Hong Kong Tuesday. Mass sit-ins continue blocking traffic in key streets of the financial hub.

Hong Kong, a former British colony, has been hit by protests for nearly two months now, with demonstrators calling to revise the procedure approved by China's parliament on holding elections of Hong Kong chief executive in 2017.

China insists that candidates should be first approved by a special committee, while protesters believe this is an undemocratic procedure and urge Beijing to lift the restrictions.

The massive demonstrations reached their peak in the first week of October, when tens of thousands of local residents took to the streets. Authorities have accused external forces of attempting to destabilise the situation in Hong Kong.