Police use water cannon during protests over Hong Kong's new security laws

Police use water cannon during protests over Hong Kong's new security laws

Hong Kong police have arrested more than 300 protesters on the first day of life under the controversial national security laws imposed by Beijing, as China confirmed that some suspects could be extradited to the mainland under the new rules.

Police were said to have used water cannon and pepper spray on activists and journalists during the demonstrations.

Earlier, the city’s leader, Carrie Lam, had told a ceremony marking the 23rd anniversary of Hong Kong's handover to China that the security laws were 'the most important development in relations between central – HKSAR [Hong Kong Special Administrative Region] since Britain handed over the territory to Beijing.