Hong Kong Protests Escalate: Riot Police Gets Tough

The protests in Hong Kong against Beijing's refusal to extend democratic rights to choose the  city's chief executive has spread Monday, with thousands congregating in the city centre and holding pitched battles against the riot police .

The student-led demonstrators, who had stormed the government headquarters over the weekend, refused to disperse despite the riot police firing tear gas shells in the air and using pepper sprays.

The rallyists used face masks, goggles  and umbrellas in defense, which has led the movement to be named as the "Umbrella Revolution" by the social media, reports the Associated Press.

The protestors were mainly camping on a busy highway and when asked to move by the police they responded by announcing that Hong Kong's Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying demand a genuine choice for the territory's voters.

"Do something good for Hong Kong. We want real democracy!" a protestor shouted.

Hong Kong is witnessing a strong civil disobedience movement , Occupy Central, protesting China's  move to vet what candidates can stand for the chief executive elections scheduled in  2017. The protest has gained momentum with students joining in.

There are plans afoot to blockade the financial district on Oct. 1, China's National Day holiday. "Rather than encouraging the students to join, we are encouraged by the students to join," said Benny Tai, one of the three main organizers of the pro-democracy movement, to Reuters.

"We are touched and moved by the work of the students."

China has called the protests illegal and is no mood to accede to any of the demands of the protestors.

Hong Kong, which was a British colony, was handed over to China in 1997 under a formula known as "one country, two systems." China had promised autonomy and economic freedoms to the city. But China now wants to nominate pro-Beijing candidates.