HONG KONG — Riot police officers fired tear gas and rubber bullets in downtown Hong Kong on Wednesday as they repelled tens of thousands of protesters who tried to swarm the city’s legislature in anger over proposed legislation that would allow extraditions to mainland China.
The street confrontation began on Wednesday afternoon when a small number of protesters stormed police barricades outside the Legislative Council and hurled bricks, bottles and umbrellas at the officers. The riot police responded by firing rubber bullets, beanbag rounds and tear-gas canisters at the protesters.
The large-scale clashes — rare in this financial hub — underscore both the deep-seated anger that protesters feel about the erosion of liberties in the territory and the police’s resolve to maintain order.
It was a sharp escalation of violence in a protest movement that took off in earnest on Sunday when an estimated one million people marched against the extradition bill and China’s growing influence in the territory. That march ended with small clashes in the early hours of Monday, but protesters began pouring back into the area around the legislature on Tuesday night ahead of a debate on the bill scheduled for the next day.
Carrie Lam, who was selected by China’s leaders to govern Hong Kong two years ago, stood firm on Wednesday against what she called an “organized riot” and said she would not withdraw the contentious bill.
She also compared the demonstrators to stubborn children, in remarks made before the protests turned violent.
“If my son was stubborn and I spoiled him and tolerated his stubborn behavior every time, I would just be going along with him,” Ms. Lam told a local television station.
The widespread public outrage puts Ms. Lam, Hong Kong’s chief executive, in a delicate position. Retreating could make her look weak and risks drawing the ire of her party benefactors, who support the bill, but moving ahead with a vote on the proposal could incite even more protests and unrest.
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