Photo from AP
Over 90 people have been injured, and 61 arrested, following clashes in Hong Kong's Mong Kok district, police say.
Violence erupted overnight as police cleared illegal food stalls set up on a busy junction for Lunar New Year celebrations.
Angry protesters threw bricks and bottles at police, while police used batons and pepper spray and fired two warning shots into the air.
Police said dozens of officers and four journalists were among those hurt.
Nine women and 52 men have been arrested, all aged between 15 and 70. They are suspected of offences including unlawful assembly, assaulting police and possession of offensive weapons.
It is the largest unrest in Hong Kong since massive pro-democracy street protests were held in 2014 - although some reports said Tuesday's clashes appeared more violent than those in 2014, which were largely peaceful.
Chief Executive CY Leung condemned the unrest, saying Hong Kong "can never tolerate that and the police will spare no effort to arrest the rioters".
The rioters "threw bricks and other objects at police officers, including those who had already been injured and were lying on the ground", he added.
What happened in Mong Kok?
Hong Kong police attempted to shut down unlicensed food stalls along the junction of Shan Tung Road and Portland Street in Kowloon. Clashes erupted after dozens of local activists gathered to defend the vendors.
What's the deal with the food stalls?
The unlicensed food stalls were set up for the Lunar New Year holiday. Officials usually turn a blind eye to the hawkers' lack of official permits, but this year decided to crack down.
Were the clashes just about street food?
The underlying tensions go deeper. Many "localist" groups, who want greater autonomy for Hong Kong, turned up to support the vendors, arguing that Hong Kong's identity is under threat. Trust between the public and the police has also declined in recent years.
Ahead of the clearance operation, hundreds of people had gathered in the area to support the hawkers.
Police said the vendors and activists were told to leave but ignored the warnings.
Clashes then broke out in the early hours, and carried on past dawn. But the scene was quiet by late Tuesday morning.
Source : http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-35529587
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