A brawl between hundreds of civilian Hong Kong protesters and the city's police officials flared up Sunday night, November 30. The tension rose following HK campaigners' crusade for free and democratic elections in 2017.

The city's protesters have come stomping over police boundaries with the agenda of blocking government officials' access to site buildings and offices. Metal barricades and railings as well as plastic cables have been set by the demonstrators to surround the city's central government area.

Like Us on Facebook

Police officials, on the other hand, defended their side using riot armors, batons, and bottles of pepper sprays with hopes of dispersing the crowd before Monday's rush hour. Forty individuals were arrested in the clash.

Rob McBride, an Al Jazeera coorrespondent, witnessed the incident and reported how police officers were able to push the protesters back more than 200 meters away from the vicinity, clearing the way for government officials for their Monday work schedule.

McBride describes the clash as "the most violent in the last 2 months," noting how the police have been a little more daring with this episode's arrests than with the previous incidents. This, however, already came as an early warning from the HK police as they firmly ascertained the peace and order at Wung Lo Road. The said street is a major access between the east side and the west side of Hong Kong.

The boldness of the police, however, did not do much for the protesters. Student leftist leaders have extended a warning to the police that matters will escalate further should HK Chief Executive CY Leung refuse to consider their cause.

The leaders reiterated that the protests are mainly for the Hong Kong government to address the issue on democratic elections set to commence in 2017. Protesters mentioned that little or no effort at all has been noted from the government to take their appeal into consideration, hence the demonstrations they have spearheaded.

Tagsclash, 2017democratic election, hong kong protests, occupy central, China-HK, HK protests