Protesters Shine Lasers at Police in Mong Kok

People in Hong Kong continued months of ongoing pro-democracy protests with a series of marches and rallies on Saturday, August 17, the South China Morning Post reported. Teachers marched through the rainy streets in solidarity with pro-democracy protesters on Saturday morning. The teachers’ march was followed by another march in Hung Hom in the afternoon. The anti-government demonstrations began earlier this year in opposition to a now-shelved extradition bill. In the evening, protesters gathered in Mong Kok and other areas to continue demonstrations. This video shows police, outfitted in helmets and shields, standing outside the Mong Kok Police Station as purple and green lasers are shined on them. Shining lasers at cameras could help obscure surveillance and help conceal protesters’ identities, media reports said. Referring to lasers as “offensive weapons,” police said they have injured officers and damaged sensors in some cameras, a member of the Hong Kong Police Force said to media during a press conference in early August. Reports said eggs were also thrown at officers in Mong Kok on Saturday. Citing officials, local media said police planned to disperse the crowd of more than 100 people and said law enforcement warned protesters of their “illegal assembly” near the station. Thousands of government supporters also gathered on Saturday for an “anti-violence” rally at Tamar Park in Admiralty, reports said. Credit: @LostDutchHK via Storyful