Hong Kong riot police broke up a solidarity rally for China's Uighurs on Sunday - with one officer drawing a pistol - as the city's pro-democracy movement likened their plight to that of the oppressed Muslim minority. The initially peaceful rally descended into chaos when a small group of protesters removed a Chinese flag from a nearby government building and tried to burn it, an AFP reporter on the scene said. Organisers stopped the flag being burned but riot police then swooped in with pepper spray, sparking anger from the crowd who threw water bottles. #HK

Mass ongoing anti-government protests in Hong Kong showed no sign of abating on Christmas day with protesters marching through several shopping malls and chanting pro-democracy slogans. It comes a day after violent clashes with the police left a festively-decorated prime tourist district shrouded in tear gas. The protests, which escalated in June, have been largely peaceful for much of December after pro-democracy candidates overwhelmingly won district council elections the month before. But Hong Kong's pro-Beijing leaders have made no concessions to the protesters, despite acknowledging their defeat in the polls, and the rallies have turned more confrontational over the festive period. 'Confrontation is expected, it doesn't matter if it's Christmas,' said Chan, a 28-year-old restaurant worker who was part of a crowd which exchanged insults with police outside a shopping centre in the Mong Kok district. #HK

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT! Hong Kong riot police arrested at least 15 people in clashes Saturday with dozens of pro-democracy protestors who targeted a mall near the border with China to demonstrate against mainland tourists and shoppers. The fresh unrest ended a brief calm after protestors had battled riot police in shopping malls and streets of commercial districts across the city for three days over the Christmas period. About 100 protesters marched through the mall shouting, 'Liberate Hong Kong!' and 'Return to the mainland!' On Saturday afternoon, masked plain-clothed officers wielding batons arrested 14 people, including a 14-year-old girl, who were protesting inside the mall in Sheung Shui district, forcing shops to shut and harassing shoppers, a reporter at the scene said. Riot police charged into the mall to reinforce the officers and used pepper spray to disperse a crowd of residents who gathered to protest against the arrests. #HK

New riots in Hong Kong. Riot police use tear gas to disperse protesters. Dozens of people were arrested. The government of HK is not actually elected by the people living there, it tried to enact a law to extradite people to china, people protested for months, many people were arrested during the protests in order to scare the populace, using a law that allows arresting "rioters", however the people protesting weren't engaging in violent angry damaging for their own fun, but in setting signals that communicate that the people of HK disagree with the governance (only way, as they don't get to vote). #HK

Police in Hong Kong have arrested at least 14 veteran activists and a media tycoon on charges of joining unlawful protests last year. Among those arrested were 81-year-old activist and former parliamentarian Martin Lee, and advocates Albert Ho, Lee Cheuk-yan and Au Nok-hin. Police also arrested media tycoon Jimmy Lai, who founded the local newspaper Apple Daily. The protests in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory against proposed extradition legislation exposed deep divisions between Hong Kongers and the Communist Party-ruled central government in Beijing. The bill - which would have allowed Hong Kong residents to be sent to mainland China to stand trial - has been withdrawn, but the protests continued for more than seven months, centred around demands for voting rights and an independent inquiry into police conduct. #HK

Meanwhile, in Hong Kong ... #HK

Meanwhile, in Hong Kong ... #HK

The Hong Kong Police Force has said that they have reminded a riot police officer to remain professional after he was filmed chanting “black lives matter” and “I can’t breathe” during an operation in Yau Ma Tei on Friday evening. Police were dispersing crowds who had gathered to mark a year since tear gas was released around the legislature during an anti-extradition law demonstration. The officer was filmed making the apparently sarcastic chant and saying “here is not America” whilst his colleagues cordoned off the area. A police spokesperson told HKFP that there are guidelines to govern the behaviour of officers: “Management of the Force is concerned and is of the view that the language used by the frontline police officer was not relevant to his duties at [the] scene. The officer has been rebuked and reminded to always present himself professionally and enhance his sensitivity.” #HK

Right now in Hong Kong. Hong Kong police today made their first arrests under a landmark new security law giving Beijing powers to punish dissent in the city. A man with a 'Hong Kong Independence' flag was the first to be arrested hours after the law came into force, and 23 years to the day since Britain returned the former colony to China - with the city's cherished freedoms now in doubt. Another 30 people were later detained on various charges including illegal gatherings and obstructing police, while protesters were fired on with water cannon as authorities showed off their new powers today. #HK

The first victim of China's new security law: A man with a 'Hong Kong Independence' flag was arrested in Causeway Bay hours after the law came into force. Riot police deploy pepper spray towards journalists as protesters gathered for a rally against the new national security law in Hong Kong. More than two dozen countries - including Britain, France, Germany and Japan urged Beijing to reconsider the law, saying in a statement to the UN Human Rights Council that it undermines the city's freedoms. The U.S. has already begun moves to end special trade terms given to the territory, saying military exports could fall into the hands of the Communist Party. Congress has also moved to impose sanctions on people deemed connected to political repression in Hong Kong, including police officials. Britain has said it could offer residency and possible citizenship to about three million of Hong Kong's 7.5million people. China has said it will impose visa restrictions on Americans it sees as interfering over Hong Kong. #HK