Tear gas was fired in Hong Kong’s residential district of Wong Tai Sin on Saturday night as police cleared a crowd of protesters and local residents who were angry at their presence.

Protesters gather next to tear gas, outside of a police station in the Wong Tai Sin district of Hong Kong early on August 4, 2019, after arrested protesters were taken to the station in a police van. Photo: Philip Fong/AFP.

Police said 20 were arrested on Saturday for offences such as unlawful assembly and assault.

As anti-extradition law protesters were cleared from thoroughfares in Mong Kok and Tsim Sha Tsui, several hundred demonstrators had marched through Kowloon City to surround Wong Tai Sin police station late Saturday night.

Photo: Inmedia.hk.net.

See also: Hong Kong police deploy tear gas after protesters bring Kowloon to a halt with wildcat road occupations

After riot police arrested several people near Wong Tai Sin’s MTR station, a crowd of local residents gathered to prevent police vehicles from leaving.

Some of the crowd surrounded a stranded police van and attacked officers with objects such as umbrellas and set off fire extinguishers.

Shortly after midnight, police began to deploy tear gas against the crowd.

Over the course of the night, several objects fell from height at the Wong Tai Sin Disciplined Services Quarters towards the crowd below.

Apple Daily also reported that inhabitants of the dormitory chased people taking refuge from the tear gas with sticks.

Photo: StandNews.

In response, some protesters shone lasers at the dormitory buildings. They later charged forward and fought with the inhabitants guarding the complex’s entrance.

As riot police fired more volleys of tear gas after 1am, protesters retreated to briefly occupy Lung Cheung Road – the district’s main thoroughfare – before dispersing.

Tear gas in Wong Tai Sin. Photo: InMedia.

Riot police continued to stand guard outside the Disciplined Services Quarters into the early hours in a small stand-off, as they were heckled by locals and cars honked their horns in protest.

In a statement, the police accused protesters of hurling objects into the complex and damaging the gates of its car park: “Police strongly condemn the radical protestors who disregarded law and order. Resolute enforcement actions will be taken against all illegal and violent acts. Police are capable and determined to maintain law and order and will not tolerate any violence,” a statement said.

Photo: Inmedia.hk.net.

Mong Kok police station

Meanwhile, also around midnight, a crowd surrounded Mong Kok police station in Prince Edward, jeering at police vehicles.

Riot police later advanced from the police station, subduing and arresting several people in the vicinity. However, some of the arrested people were heard shouting that they were only passers-by.

Marches are planned for Tseung Kwan O and Sai Wan on Sunday afternoon – although police have only approved a rally for the latter event.