Hundreds take to Hong Kong streets to protest against police shooting of school student
- Crowds gather near Chater Garden, blocking roads and bringing traffic to standstill
- Rally started around 12.30pm to protest against the shooting of an 18-year-old student by police during Tuesday’s National Day demonstrations
Traffic at the heart of Hong Kong’s business centre came to a standstill on Wednesday lunchtime, after hundreds of anti-government protesters gathered at Chater Garden in Central and marched along several main roads.
Protesters appealed for people to join the sudden rally, which started at about 12.30pm, to protest against the shooting of an 18-year-old student by police amid the National Day demonstrations a day before.
Rally-goers were mostly office workers, and they chanted slogans while marching on roads around Chater Garden, forcing buses and other vehicles to stop.
The crowd then split into two groups, some heading towards IFC Mall, and Exchange Square, while others continued down Des Voeux Road Central, where department store Chinese Arts and Crafts shut its doors in response.
Some 500 people marched as far as Millennium Plaza in Sheung Wan, before they turned around and walked to Tamar Park in Admiralty.