Hong Kong: Violent clashes broke out in Hong Kong on Wednesday as police tried to stop protesters storming the city's parliament, while tens of thousands of people blocked key arteries in a show of strength against government plans to allow extraditions to China. Many of those who have taken to the streets say they feel this is their last chance to protect the city's freedoms after years of slow strangulation by Beijing.

Police beat back demonstrators — most of them young people and students — first with batons and pepper spray, then firing rubber bullets and bean bag rounds — small fabric bags filled with lead pellets — and dozens of rounds of tear gas as they cleared one side of the surrounded parliament building.