Hong Kong Police fire tear gas at activists protesting China's new security law

Hong Kong police used tear gas on Sunday to disperse protesters as thousands took to the streets to express their outrage at China's plan to adopt new national security law, which the residents consider as a threat to their civil liberties.

The mass protest was organised in Hong Kong's Causeway Bay shopping district. Activists believe that the new legislation will put an end to the "one country, two systems" principle, CNN reported.

According to the publication, police officers used tear gas to disperse the crowd, which went against coronavirus social distancing restrictions. Several people were arrested later.

On Friday, at the annual National People's Congress (NPC), China's ruling Communist Party proposed a legislation to impose a security law in Hong Kong to suppress the semi-autonomous city's pro-democracy movement, which has further raised the temperature, drawing the US and the world condemnation.

The NPC is expected to vote on the bill at the end of the annual session, which is likely to wrap up on May 28.

Violent protests swiped Hong Kong last year, starting in June. Numerous demonstrators took to the streets to protest a proposed extradition bill, but later some of the unpopular measures were withdrawn in October.

(ANI)