Hong Kong: Police met with taunts after warning them to clear road near station

Officers standing guard at a police station in Mong Kok have raised a blue flag, warning protesters to clear the area.

Riot officers have ordered protesters marching past a police station in Hong Kong to disperse after they taunted those standing guard.
Enacting a flag warning system, officers outside Mong Kok police station raised a blue flag to alert passing protesters that the rally was no longer deemed legal, and that they should leave the area.

Videos and photos posted to social media showed several dozen protesters marching past the police station, with some pointing lasers at the officers standing outside.
Local reporters said other participants had taunted the officers, by shouting: "Where is your tear gas?" and throwing eggs.
The blue flag is one of the first tiers of the colour-coded system used by Hong Kong police, coming after the yellow flag used to indicate a police cordon, and before the red flag issued as a warning that officers are prepared to use force.
A black flag warns that police are authorised to use tear gas, while an orange flag means officers are prepared to fire rubber bullets, should the crowds not disperse.
Thousands of people are taking part in the start of the city's eleventh week of demonstrations on Saturday, despite poor weather threatening to water log low-level and poor-drainage areas.
Black-clad teachers kicked off the first of three planned demonstrations on Saturday, and marched to the home of chief executive Carrie Lam to demand democratic reforms and a halt to police brutality in future rallies.
Carrying signs that read: "Protect the next generation" and chanting: "Don't shoot our children", the group marched in a show of solidarity with protesters, many of whom are students.
It comes in response to recent unrest in which riot police fired tear gas and rubber bullets - letting off rounds in an underground station and using "snatch squads" disguised as protesters to detain people - to clear the crowds.
One secondary school teacher, who gave only his surname, Ko, said today's gathering is "due to continuous violence by the government and police".
"We feel we have the right to protect our students," he said.
Speaking to Sky News, teacher Winnie Lei said she had joined the protest to tell Mrs Lam that "we want to protect our children".
She added: "We're quite angry. As teachers, we want to protect children, we want to save our children, and letting them know it's okay to tell [the government] what is right."
The march of teachers was followed by another anti-government protest in Hung Hom, before a pro-police rally at Tamar Park in Admiralty.
The protests come days after Hong Kong airport cancelled all outbound flights after a mass sit-in, and a day after the chief executive of local airline Cathay Pacific Airways resigned amid pressure from China to suspend any staff involved in the protests.

After two months of unrest in the former British colony, the Chinese government has warned the situation is showing "sprouts of terrorism".
Anger has intensified in Hong Kong for an amalgamation of reasons during the protests, which show no signs of relenting.
Among the demands are calls for a now-shelved extradition bill to be entirely scrapped, which has prompted further calls for increased democracy, the resignation of Mrs Lam, and an independent investigation into the use of police force.
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UN commissioner for human rights Michelle Bachelet has urged Hong Kong authorities to show restraint in dealing with the protesters.
In a statement, she said: "Officials can be seen firing tear gas canisters into crowded, enclosed areas and directly at individual protesters on multiple occasions, creating a considerable risk of death or serious injury."
Concerns have also been heightened this week over a potentially forceful response from the mainland after China's paramilitary People's Armed Police held training drills in Shenzhen.
Dozens of army-green trucks have been spotted around a sports stadium in the city across the border, while officers conducted drills inside.
It is not known how many people will turn out for this weekend's demonstrations, which take place in poor weather conditions.
The Hong Kong Observatory issued a warning of thunderstorms and rain on Saturday, and said flooding could affect low-lying areas, and areas where there is poor drainage.
Meanwhile, demonstrations have taken place in Australia, with a gathering to support the democracy marches held in Melbourne on Friday evening.
Police there were forced to intervene when a counter protest began.
A pro-China rally, consisting of around 200 people chanting "Long Live China" and singing the national anthem, was also held in Sydney.

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