Hong Kong protesters bring streets to a standstill as police fire tear gas

HONG KONG, Sept 28 (agencies): Police fired tear gas as tens of thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators brought parts of central Hong Kong to a standstill Sunday, in a dramatic escalation of protests that have gripped the semi-autonomous Chinese city for days.

There were chaotic scenes, with protesters screaming "Shame!" at police as they tried to shield themselves from the clouds of gas, AFP reporters said.

Several scuffles broke out between police in riot gear and demonstrators angered by the use of tear gas, which is rare in Hong Kong. An elderly woman was seen being carried away by protesters.

Thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators brought parts of central Hong Kong to a standstill on Sunday in a dramatic escalation of protests that have gripped the semi-autonomous Chinese city for days.

Police used pepper spray on protesters who had spilled into a major multi-lane highway, after breaking through barricades set up to stop people swelling the crowds camped outside Hong Kong's government headquarters since Friday.

Dozens of police wearing gas masks, riot shields and helmets were seen rushing towards the scene, an AFP reporter said -- but they struggled to control the crowds, who numbered in their tens of thousands in the general area.

Protesters shouted, "Shame! Shame! Shame!" as they tried to shield themselves from the pepper spray with umbrellas and plastic sheets.

Traffic had ground to a halt on busy Connaught Road, with the police forced to retreat as the protesters rushed towards the crowds outside government headquarters on the other side. They cheered and embraced each other in the middle of the road, a major city artery usually filled with whizzing taxis and buses.

The extraordinary scenes came at the climax of a week of student-led action against China's refusal to grant full democracy to the former British colony.

Beijing said that while it would allow elections for Hong Kong's leader in 2017, it would insist on vetting the candidates.

Students have boycotted classes in the past week, while the increasingly tense protests have also seen them mob the city's leader and storm into the complex housing government headquarters.