Tear gas and arrests as Hong Kong rally for universal suffrage descends into chaos

Tear gas was fired in Hong Kong after police shut down a rally for universal suffrage in the city’s business district on Sunday, January 19, when two plain-clothes officers were assaulted by hard-core protesters amid the chaos. Thousands took part in the police-approved demonstration to demand electoral reform for September’s legislative election and urge the international community to impose sanctions on the city government if their calls were snubbed. But it descended into mayhem when police declared the rally over after skirmishes between protesters and officers nearby.