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Hong Kong protesters defiant after attacks

Stage huge peace rally; govt denies using thugs to disperse sit-in

AFP, Hong Kong
Tens of thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators gathered for a peace rally in central Hong Kong late yesterday, as the city’s security chief furiously denied the government had used triad gangs to attack them a day earlier.
Huge crowds streamed into the main protest site opposite the besieged
government headquarters for a seventh night of their campaign for free elections in the semi-autonomous Chinese city, vowing to stand firm in the face of attacks on their ranks by aggressive counter-demonstrators.
Two of Hong Kong's busiest shopping districts descended into chaos on late Friday as angry opponents clashed with protesters, tearing down their
tents and barricades, with widespread allegations amongst the prodemocracy crowds that hired thugs from triad criminal gangs had been brought in stir up trouble.
Senior police superintendent Patrick Kwok said 12 people had been injured in the clashes, including six officers.
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Tensions remained high yesterday with fresh clashes in Mong Kok, a densely packed working-class district of shops and apartments that saw some of the worst scenes of violence the previous night.
There were widespread reports of sexual assault in the packed crowds after the mood turned ugly at protests that had been noted worldwide for their civilised atmosphere, with rights group Amnesty International blasting officers who "stood by and did nothing" to protect protesters on Friday night.
An AFP reporter in Mong Kok yester-day heard a female counterdemonstrator tell pro-democracy crowds through a loudspeaker: "Women are supposed to be touched by men." She spoke in Cantonese with a mainland accent.
Police said several suspected triad members were among those arrested
after Friday's clashes, but the city's security chief angrily denied allegations that the government had called on the services of paid thugs in a bid to break up the mass protests that have brought key parts of the city to a standstill for a week.
Pro-democracy protesters have taken to Hong Kong's streets in their tens of thousands to demand the right to nominate who can run as their next leader in 2017 elections. Beijing insists only candidates it has approved will be able to stand.
Friday's violence prompted student protest leaders to scrap talks with the government, scuppering hopes of a resolution to the crisis.
As night fell upon the usually stable financial hub, thousands chanted "Peace! Anti-violence!” as they gathered in the downtown Admiralty district neargovernmentheadquarters.