Hong Kong resorts to tear gas to break up democracy protesters

Hong Kong police fired repeated volleys of tear gas to disperse pro-democracy protests  Sunday and baton-charged the crowd blocking a key road in the government district after official warnings against illegal demonstrations, according to a news agency.
The city's Admiralty district had descended into chaos as chanting protesters converged on police barricades surrounding colleagues who had earlier launched a "new era" of civil disobedience to pressure Beijing into granting full democracy to Hong Kong.
Police, in lines five deep in places and wearing helmets and gas masks, staged repeated pepper spray and shot tear gas into the air. The crowds fled several hundred yards, scattering their umbrellas and hurling abuse at police "cowards".
Crowds returned however and by early evening tens of thousands of protesters were thronging streets, including outside the prominent Pacific Place shopping mall that leads towards the Central financial district.