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HK Police, Protesters Clash After Rally Near China Border

Hong Kong Police, Protesters Clash After Rally Near China Border

(Bloomberg) -- Scuffles broke out between Hong Kong police and protesters after a peaceful demonstration against parallel traders ended in Sheung Shui near the China border on Saturday.

Police fired pepper spray as they tried to disperse demonstrators gathering on a bridge leading to a mall in the area. Live television showed masked protesters, carrying umbrellas and metal barricades, advancing toward the police defense line on a road below as officers retreated.

More than 30,000 people took part in the largely peaceful march earlier, according to North District Parallel Imports Concern Group convenor Ronald Leung. The police estimated the turnout at 4,000.

The rally was held to protest cross-border informal traders, who typically snap up daily necessities such as cosmetics, medicine and baby formula from drug stores in Hong Kong, and resell them in the mainland. Some drug stores in the area lowered their shutters Saturday evening as protesters approached their shops.

To contact the reporter on this story: Natalie Lung in Hong Kong at flung6@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Shamim Adam at sadam2@bloomberg.net, Stanley James, Chan Tien Hin

©2019 Bloomberg L.P.