- Protesters in Hong Kong are out en-masse despite a police ban on protesting.
- This is the thirteenth consecutive week of protests in Hong Kong, which were sparked by mainland China trying to introduce an extradition bill.
- Earlier this week Beijing refused to scrap the bill.
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Protesters in Hong Kong have taken to the streets for the thirteenth weekend in a row despite a police ban.
After a number of prominent activists were arrested on Friday afternoon, organisers of a major march planned for Saturday afternoon tried to cancel the event, per the Guardian, but protesters marched anyway. Al Jazeera reports protesters joined a "Christian rally," and some carried crosses as they marched in the rain in a show of religious freedom.
Read more: Two Hong Kong activists were arrested then released on bail as China clamps down on protests
Police could be seen holding up placards warning people away from protesting, and teargas and water cannons were deployed to try and disperse the protesters. Protesters were seen throwing back tear gas canisters, and in some instances lobbing petrol bombs.
Confrontations between police and protesters have grown more violent over recent weeks, and multiple protesters have been arrested including a 12-year-old child last week.
The protests were triggered in June by a proposed extradition bill, which would allow Hong Kong citizens to be tried in mainland China, where protesters argue they have fewer civil protections. On Thursday it was reported that Beijing refused to scrap the bill, one of the protesters' four demands.
The Chinese government has consistently condemned the protests as "radical," and deployed fresh military troops to Hong Kong on Thursday in an apparent show of force.
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