The protest was declared a riot by police, bringing serious consequences for those arrested. Earlier, a crowd chanted "withdraw" as they demanded Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam scrap her controversial extradition bill. Police shooting tear gas at protesters during the rally against an extradition bill outside the Legislative Council. Credit:EPA The crowd, mostly made up of young people, succeeded in delaying debate on the law as they surrounded the city's parliament in the second major protest in the city this week. Multiple roads around the Legislative Council were blocked by the demonstrators, who fear the law will erode Hong Kong's special autonomy from mainland China.

Police used pepper spray and water cannon in isolated incidents and accused some protesters of gathering bricks as weapons. One activist seemingly facing dozens of police and a water cannon alone. Despite the government announcing that the debate, due to begin at noon, would be delayed, tensions continued to mount outside as protesters refused to leave. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video "You have made a miracle to block this meeting ... but we need to stay here longer," Labour Party politician Fernando Cheung told the crowd. Opposition party politicians told the protesters the parliamentary debate could be restarted at any time. Inside, they told media at a press conference that if Lam considers herself a Hong Konger she should immediately shelve the bill.

The proposed law will allow a criminal suspect in Hong Kong to be extradited to mainland China for the first time, and has become a flashpoint for wider fears about Beijing's gradual erosion of the One Country Two Systems promised when the former British colony was returned to China in 1997. Wednesday's street protest came after the jailing of multiple leaders of the 2014 Umbrella protest in recent weeks after delayed prosecutions that appeared designed to send a message to Hong Kong youth against participating in civil disobedience. Police officers use a water cannon on a lone protester near the government headquarters in Hong Kong on Wednesday. Credit:AFP Pro-democracy Legislative Council member Claudia Mo told the protesters: "After the Umbrella movement, we said we would be back." Unlike Sunday's massive protest march – the largest seen since the former British colony was handed back to China in 1997 – protests and strikes on Wednesday were not authorised.

Many protesters who spoke to The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age said they were angry and frustrated that Lam had ignored the million-strong march on Sunday. Instead, the government had announced on Tuesday that it hoped the extradition bill would be voted on by next Thursday, allowing 60 hours for debate. Protestors react to tear gas during a large protest near the Legislative Council in Hong Kong on Wednesday. Credit:AP Photo/Kin Cheung The crowd chanted "shame" and "withdraw". Hong Kong television stations live broadcast the scenes, and also showed a video released by Hong Kong's chief secretary for administration, Matthew Cheung, at noon urging the protesters to leave the streets. The government insisted the extradition bill had human rights safeguards built in.

I think everyone fears Beijing. Hong Kong protester, So. Violin maker Ray Lee, 45, said he didn't know what would happen next, but he intended to stay outside the Legislative Council. He had hoped there would be no violence and this message was being spread on social media. "Hong Kong people are intelligent and careful. Hong Kong's freedom is precious. We have to resist." "No one has a clear answer of what happens next. Hong Kong people are trying our best, no matter what it takes," he said. 'The government just ignored our voice'

On a pedestrian bridge above Harcourt Road, the area most congested with protesters, Tam, 21, was throwing open umbrellas and boxes of Cling wrap down to the crowd below. The university student explained the plastic film was to wrap around arms to protect people from pepper spray that was being used by police when violence flared. "The umbrellas were the symbol of the umbrella revolution in 2014 – we are using them against pepper spray," she said. Policemen in riot gear stand behind protesters using umbrellas to shield themselves as they gather outside the Legislative Council in Hong Kong. Credit:AP Rain poured down at lunchtime, and the umbrellas went up for shelter, as the crowd appeared to swell. Mid-morning, civil servants had been told to stay away from the government complex.

Protesters erected barricades between themselves and throngs of riot police standing a block away, by tying cable ties to metal street barriers. Calls went out on social media for more helmets and water to be delivered to protester supply depots that had been organised around the vicinity, so they could stay the night. Volunteer first aid stations doled out water and surgical masks. Loading Police in riot gear had shown restraint through the evening on Tuesday, as thousands of people, including large groups of school students, had gathered at Tamar Park in front of the parliament. On another pedestrian bridge outside the Legislative Council, a church choir continued to sing Hallelujah, many hours after the singing had started at midnight. Photographs posted by pro-democracy politicians to social media showed police with bullet proof vests and shields sleeping on the floor in the corridors of parliament the next morning.

Students who spoke to The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age said they had no choice but to be there, even though the leaders of the 2014 Occupy movement had recently been jailed to warn Hong Kong's youth against civil disobedience. School student Chan, 18, said: "If we step down now, the people in power will keep stamping on our rights and freedom." "We must fight for our future," said another classmate. University student Kung, 22, said: "We might have given up five years ago after the Umbrella movement, but this law is too dangerous for Hong Kong people. No one wants to protest, or violence, but the march on Sunday was ignored." He said his friends were frustrated that Lam's government had put out a statement to push ahead with the extradition law within an hour of the march finishing on Sunday.

Kung said his friends were wearing gloves, long sleeves and a pollution mask to "protect ourselves". Police on Sunday evening had dispersed protesters with pepper spray and batons. Sociology professor Minnie Li (right) and her friends began a hunger strike that she said would last 103 hours to symbolise the 1.03 million people who marched in Hong Kong on Sunday but were ignored. Credit:Kirsty Needham So, 28, said she and her friends had come out in the night because they were old enough to remember what Hong Kong was like under British rule. "I think everyone fears Beijing," she said, of why a law that would allow criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China had provoked such a strong reaction. "We were run by Britain under different rules. After Hong Kong came back to China, everything went in reverse. We think this is the final step."