
Thousands of Hong Kong civil servants and medics rallied tonight to support protesters and urge authorities to rebuild confidence in the government as escalating protests rock the Asian financial hub.

The medical professionals started their rally themed 'Save Lives, Save Hong Kong' in Edinburgh Place, a public square in Central, at about 6pm local time.

A Hong Kong nurse has been arrested and charged with rioting over her alleged involvement in a protest on Sunday, sparking outrage in the city, particularly in the medical industry.

Thousands of Hong Kong civil servants gather in Charter Garden in Hong Kong's Central district on August 2 to show their support to the other protesters. The rally is the first time government employees have promoted the on-going demonstration

Civil servants hold various signboards during the protest. One of them calls for an 'independent inquiry' while another reads 'safeguard the future'. 'We don't give in. We don't give up. We fight for our children,' one civil servant representative said

Members of Hong Kong's medical sector attend a rally in Edinburgh Place on August 2. Protesters are seen holding signs condemning the police for obstructing humanitarian assistance works and urging the police to enforce law professionally

One Hong Kong nurse has been arrested by police and charged with rioting over alleged involvement in a protest on Sunday, sparking public outrage. A conviction for rioting can carry a 10-year prison sentence in the Asian financial hub

The nurse, together with 42 other suspects with the same charge, has been granted bail by court. A rioting charge could lead to imprisonment of up to 10 years in Hong Kong.

At today's rally, medics demanded the government immediately release the nurse, who has been named Chan Wing-kei.

They also accused the government of allowing the police to abuse the rights of arresting people and block medical workers from treating people on the scene of previous protests.

One of the organisers Lau Hoi-man also accused the city's leader Carrie Lam of permitting the police to search hospitals without official warrants.

A Hong Kong nurse has been arrested and charged with rioting over her alleged involvement in a protest on Sunday, sparking outrage in the city's medical sectors. Medical professionals are seen gathered at the city's waterfront in a rally on August 2

One of the organisers Lau Hoi-man accused the city's leader of allowing the police to search hospitals without warrants

At today's rally, medics demanded the government immediately free the arrested nurse, who has been named Chan Wing-kei

Supporters of protests visit a Lennon Wall where colourful labels with messages demanding the Hong Kong government retract a controversial extradition bill which in early June sparked the city's unrest, which has entered the eighth weeks

A member of Hong Kong's medical sector attends a rally on August 2. Medical workers have accused the Hong Kong government of allowing the police to abuse the rights to arrest people and block medics from treating people

The civil servants gathered in Charter Garden, also in Central, from about 7pm local time.

The rally is the first time government employees have promoted a demonstration in Hong Kong. The civil servants assembled peacefully with protesters in the heart of the business district, many in black masks to hide their identity.

'I think the government should respond to the demands, instead of pushing the police to the frontline as a shield,' said Kathy Yip, a 26-year-old government worker.

Chanting in Cantonese 'Civil servants, add oil!" in words of encouragement for the movement, crowds of protesting civil servants spilled onto major roads, closing them down and halting traffic in the heart of the city's business district

A man holds up a sign that reads: "Civil servants, stand out!" during the demonstration in the city centre on August 2. 'At present the people of Hong Kong are already on the verge of collapse,' a group of civil servants said in an open letter to Lam

Public anger has been compounded by rising inequality and the perception that the city's distinct language and culture are being threatened by ever-closer integration with the Chinese mainland. A woman is seen at the medical rally on August 2

The past two weekends have seen a surge in violence used by both protesters and police, who have repeatedly fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse projectile-throwing crowds. Thugs also attacked protesters, putting 45 people in hospital

Hong Kong's police have increasingly adopted tougher tactics, including by this week charging 44 protesters with rioting

Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam has made few concessions beyond agreeing to suspend the extradition bill

'We don't give in. We don't give up. We fight for our children,' one civil servant representative said on stage in front of a huge crowd who chanted 'civil servants, add oil'.

Police said they had arrested 11 more people. Eight of them, including a leading pro-independence leader, were detained last night after officers seized weapons and suspected bomb-making material in a raid.

Two of them were arrested on suspicion of posting 'very violent speeches' on social media, inciting other people to commit crimes, make explosives and use weapons. The other individual was being held for fraud after allegedly trying to borrow money using the personal data of police and their relatives.

A group of female medics are seen holding signboards. One of them reads 'why can't medics save people' and another one that says 'as long as residents are there, medics won't give up'. A mass strike has also been planned on Monday in Hong Kong

A woman holds up a sign that reads 'rescue Hong Kong, there is no time for delay' during a demonstration on August 2

A wave of protests is planned across Hong Kong this weekend, along with a mass strike on Monday all across sectors

A protester speaks as other members of Hong Kong's medical sector attend a rally to support the pro-democracy protest

A wave of protests is planned across Hong Kong this weekend, along with a mass strike on Monday across sectors such as transport, schools and corporations that could bring the city to a standstill.

The protests in Hong Kong, a former British colony that returned to China in 1997, pose one of the gravest populist challenges to Communist Party rulers in Beijing.

The protests against a now suspended extradition bill, which would have seen people sent for trial in mainland courts controlled by the Communist Party, widened to demand greater democracy and the resignation of Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam.

Under Chinese rule Hong Kong has been allowed to retain extensive freedoms, such as an independent judiciary, but many residents see the extradition bill as the latest step in a relentless march towards mainland control.

'At present the people of Hong Kong are already on the verge of collapse,' a group of civil servants said in an open letter to Lam.

'Hong Kong has always been well behaved and enjoys a high degree of freedom. It is a pity that we have seen extreme oppression...'

Civil servant protesters chant 'civil servants, add oil' as they rally in Central. 'I think the government should respond to the demands, instead of pushing the police to the frontline as a shield,' said Kathy Yip, a 26-year-old government worker

Civil servants have take to the streets after the city's government urged 180,000 civil servants to remain politically neutral

One sign says 'medics have professional conduct and will not let their political standpoint affect their treatment on patients'

It asked Lam to respond positively to five public demands: complete withdrawal of the extradition bill; a halt to descriptions of the protests as 'rioting'; a waiver of charges against those arrested; an independent inquiry and resumption of political reform.

The city's 180,000 civil servants must remain politically neutral, the government said on Thursday.

'At this difficult moment, government colleagues have to stay united and work together to uphold the core values of the civil service,' it said in a statement.

Large-scale protests are planned for the weekend in Mong Kok, Tseung Kwan O and Western districts.

Clashes between protesters and police have become increasingly violent. Police have been criticised for excessive use of force and failing to protect protesters from attacks by what opposition politicians suspected to be criminal gangs.

A woman holds an umbrella and a placard as people gather to give support to the protests who had been arrested on August 1

A man holding an umbrella looks at people with umbrellas during a rally at Chater Garden on August 1 in support of protests

Large-scale protests have been planned for the weekend in Mong Kok, Tseung Kwan O and Western districts. Pictured, people from the finance community hold up umbrellas and shine lights during a rally in central Hong Kong on August 1

Clashes between Hong Kong protesters and police have become increasingly violent. Police have been criticised for excessive use of force and failing to protect protesters from attacks from what opposition politicians said are criminal gangs

A top Chinese diplomat yesterday accused the United States and other Western nations of 'fanning the flames' of street protests in Hong Kong that aim to undermine the semi-autonomous region's prosperity, stability and security

Mr Chan's independence party - the Hong Kong National Party - was outlawed last year on the grounds it posed a national security threat, the first such ban since 1997. He was arrested yesterday on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon

Police said seven men and a woman, aged between 24 and 31, were arrested on Friday after a raid on a building in the New Territories district of Sha Tin, where police seized weapons and suspected petrol bombs. Making or possessing explosives illegally can carry a sentence of up to 14 years in jail.

Police said they found one suspected Molotov cocktail and a batch of raw materials thought to be used to produce the incendiary weapons. Two bows, six arrows and essential oil containing cannabis were also found.

The South China Morning Post reported that a crowd of protesters gathered outside Sha Tin police station overnight, shouting slogans and throwing eggs at the building.

Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily claimed that the crowd consisted of more than 100 people who demanded police release the suspects.

Hong Kong police said today that they had arrested three more people aged between 26 and 39 on suspicion of inciting public nuisance and online fraud.

Two other people were arrested after posting 'very violent speeches' on social media, provoking other people to commit crimes, make explosives and use weapons, said superintendent Swalikh Mohammed from the police's cyber security and technology crime bureau.

Mr Mohammed said another man was being held for fraud after allegedly trying to borrow money using the personal data of police and their relatives. The suspect's attempt had failed.

Police came out to disperse the crowd at about 10:40pm on July 30, with one of the officers filmed pointing a gun at protesters while his colleague is seen attacking them with a baton

Dozens of Hong Kong protesters detained during recent clashes have been charged with rioting - an offence that carries a jail term of up to ten years - as the finance hub's embattled pro-Beijing leaders crack down on weeks of demonstrations. Protesters gathered outside the Kwai Chung police station in support of those detained after the announcement on July 30

Police officers react during clashes with protesters who surrounded a police station where detained protesters are being held

A police officer points a gun towards protesters. Several hundred protesters mobilised in the streets outside a police station after Hong Kong media said that 44 people had been arrested on riot charges

The police may arrest more people as the investigations unfold, police officer Li Kwai Wah said, adding, 'Recently we are very worried about the escalating violence.'

Andy Chan, a founder of the pro-independence Hong Kong National Party that was banned last September, was among those arrested. His arrest prompted about 100 protesters to surround a police station to demand his release, television footage showed.

Yesterday, a top Chinese diplomat accused the United States and other Western nations of 'fanning the flames' of street protests in Hong Kong that aim to undermine the semi-autonomous region's prosperity, stability and security.

The White House said earlier this week that it was monitoring a sudden 'congregation' of Chinese forces at the border of Hong Kong. China has maintained a garrison in Hong Kong (pictured) since the city was returned to Beijing's rule in 1997

An anonymous Washington official told journalists that there could be a build-up of military troops or armed police without giving further details, according to a report from Bloomberg. A Beijing spokesperson said she had not heard of the matter

State Councilor Yang Jiechi accused the Western governments of arranging meetings between top officials and protest leaders and encouraging them in actions.

'It must be pointed out that the U.S. and some other Western governments .... are constantly fanning the flames of the situation in Hong Kong,' Yang was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua News Agency.

'China expresses its strong indignation and firm opposition ... and demands they immediately cease interfering in Hong Kong affairs in any form.

In a warning to protesters, China's People's Liberation Army in Hong Kong on Wednesday released a video of 'anti-riot' exercises and its top brass warned violence was 'absolutely impermissible'.

The PLA has remained in barracks since protests started in April, leaving Hong Kong's police force to deal with protests.

Hong Kong has been rocked by protests over the past two months against a proposed bill that would allow people to be extradited from the city to stand trial in Communist Party-controlled courts in mainland China.

The mass display of opposition to the bill has morphed into a wider pro-democracy movement that has thrown down the most significant challenge to Beijing's authority since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule 22 years ago.