Police fire pepper spray at Hong Kong protesters

Police fire pepper spray at Hong Kong protesters

Hundreds of protesters gathered in shopping malls across Hong Kong on Wednesday, flouting social distancing rules to mock unpopular Chief Executive Carrie Lam on her birthday.

Emer McCarthy reports.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in shopping malls across Hong Kong on Wednesday- mocking Chief Executive Carrie Lam on her 63rd birthday.

Police officers pushed back crowds using pepper spray and made at least one arrest, in the latest sign that social unrest is returning to the city-- after wide scale protests dominated Hong Kong last year.

Social distancing rules have largely halted protests since January.

But after clashes with police at the weekend saw more than 200 people arrested, demonstrations are expected to pick up steam again into the summer.

As they demand an independent inquiry into the police handling of protests last year, as well as universal suffrage.