HK police break up overnight anti-government protest

The protesters, who expressed dissatisfaction with Hong Kong's leader Donald Tsang and chanted anti-government slogans, were repeatedly warned by police to leave.

Tsang's popularity has dipped this year following a series of policy missteps amid the economic downturn and controversial comments over the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.

After a protracted standoff, dozens of police officers moved in and began hauling off the protesters one by one, including activist lawmaker “long hair” Leung Kwok-hung who was dragged off kicking and shouting.

No arrests were made.

“Some people took a non-cooperative attitude but the police had to take a resolute action to restore order in the government headquarters,” said police spokeswoman Winnie Chiu.

The protesters were all evicted by around 3 a.m. local time.

The standoff at the government headquarters took place at the end of a massive protest march on July 1, the 12th anniversary of Hong Kong's handover from British to Chinese rule, with tens of thousands of people pressuring the government on a range of issues including swifter democratic reforms, poverty alleviation and investor rights protection.

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