Police fired several rounds of tear gas to disperse radical protesters who stormed into Hong Kong’s Legislative Council as a day of unprecedented violence and chaos marked the 22nd anniversary of the city’s return to China.

A squad armed in riot gear and wielding shields appeared at Harcourt Road where protesters were milling about at around 11.40pm. They began positioning themselves and removing barriers on the road.

Earlier, protesters had stormed into the Legislative Council and defaced the chamber, after hours of besieging the building, smashing glass doors and dismantling metal bars.

Their actions were in stark contrast to a peaceful rally where 550,000 marchers according organisers took part in the annual July 1 march.

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