Protesters have forced their way into the central chamber of Hong Kong’s parliament after an hours-long siege.
Dozens of demonstrators broke through the glass of the Legislative Council (LegCo) building earlier in the day.
Hundreds then entered the building, spray-painting messages on the walls and carrying supplies for those occupying the premises.
The unrest followed a peaceful protest involving hundreds of thousands over a controversial extradition law.
Inside the central legislative chamber, one protester sprayed black paint across the emblem of Hong Kong on the rear wall – while another raised the old British colonial flag, which features the union jack.
UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt – currently competing to become the next British prime minister – tweeted that “UK support for Hong Kong and its freedoms is UNWAVERING on this anniversary day”.
“No violence is acceptable,” he wrote, “but [Hong Kong] people MUST preserve right to peaceful protest exercised within the law, as hundreds of thousands of brave people showed today.”
Earlier, police held signs warning they would use force if protesters charged the glass exterior walls. They later warned that anyone who breached an internal metal gate would be arrested.
But on each occasion, they decided not to move against the crowd – which was armed with plastic helmets, makeshift cardboard shields and umbrellas – and apparently fell back instead.
Hours later, police warned that protesters must clear the building or face “appropriate force” – a statement issued at about the same time the Hong Kong government labelled protesters’ actions as “extreme violence”.
