Riot police seal off the main roads in Hong KongImage caption: Riot police seal off the main roads in Hong Kong
We're now suspending our live coverage of the dramatic and fast changing events which have been taking place in Hong Kong.
Live footage suggests that the situation is calm now, with riot police fully in charge and no sign of demonstrators near the government district.
This is a dramatic turnaround from only a few hours ago, when crowds stormed and ransacked Hong Kong's parliament.
It followed weeks of unrest in the city over a controversial extradition law.
You can still follow all the latest developments on this and other news stories on the BBC News website.
'Protesters cleared in half an hour'
The BBC's Grace Tsoi at the scene on the dramatic events in Hong Kong
"At about 10:30pm police said they would be clearing the
protest site soon. And protesters near the Legislative Council building were
expecting them to come any minute.
They were barricading themselves with
railings, water-filled barriers and umbrellas.
Minutes past midnight, hundreds of police officers in
full gear - batons, helmets, shields and gas masks - closed in on thousands of
young protesters, many of them in their early 20s, from Lung Wui Road.
Police raised black flags warning the protesters that
“tear smoke” would be fired.
Within minutes, we saw at least two canisters of
tear gas fired at the protesters.
In response, umbrellas were thrown at
the police.
But protesters gave up their barricades very swiftly and
dispersed to Harcourt Road. More tear gas was fired - but we couldn’t get a clear
view.
In the space of about half an hour, thousands of protesters were
cleared.
Their supplies - first aid kits, goggles and bottles of water - were left
on the roads."
Fernando Cheung, a member of the Legislative Council, was in the building with the protesters.
He told the BBC that those inside had deliberately avoided a violent confrontation with the police.
"It is fortunate that I think all of the demonstrators retreated and they basically left safely without any actual encounters with the police.
"We're glad that is what happened. If they resisted, or anyone who would resist leaving the Legislative Council [sic], I'm afraid there would be bloodshed, or I think the police wouldn't be hesitant to use force to disperse them.
"There were a group of protesters who came back and grabbed the few who said they would be determined to stay, even risking their lives, and, of course, the rest of the protesters didn't agree and they came back and they dragged them out.
"And we're actually glad that happened," the legislator said.
Photo gallery: Parliament ransacked
Images from inside the parliament building which was briefly occupied by protesters.
AFP/Getty ImagesCopyright: AFP/Getty Images
Protesters broke though the glass entrance to the parliamentImage caption: Protesters broke though the glass entrance to the parliament
AFP/Getty ImagesCopyright: AFP/Getty Images
A portrait of the President of the Legislative Council, Andrew Leung, was smashedImage caption: A portrait of the President of the Legislative Council, Andrew Leung, was smashed
AFP/Getty ImagesCopyright: AFP/Getty Images
Walls of the parliament chamber were defaced by graffitiImage caption: Walls of the parliament chamber were defaced by graffiti
AFP/Getty ImagesCopyright: AFP/Getty Images
Barricades were erected inside the parliament buildingImage caption: Barricades were erected inside the parliament building
AFP/Getty ImagesCopyright: AFP/Getty Images
Protesters also raised the old British colonial flag in the chamberImage caption: Protesters also raised the old British colonial flag in the chamber
Police secure parliament building
The parliament building has been retaken from the protesters.
Live footage shows riot police moving around the building to fully secure it.
Storming of parliament in pictures
Protesters have left the Legislative Council after smashing their way through glass doors and metal shutters.
Protesters attempt to break the glass at the Legislative CouncilImage caption: Protesters attempt to break the glass at the Legislative Council
Dialogue offer rejected - media
Jeffie Lam, who works for Hong Kong's South China Morning Post newspaper, tweets that protesters had requested a dialogue with Chief Executive Carrie Lam - but the request was rejected.
Claudia Mo, a Hong Kong pro-democracy legislator, was out on
the streets when riot police moved in.
She told the
BBC she was scared.
"I
am now away from the scene of the clashes...there were fully armed, fully
geared police force against, mainly the students, the young," Ms Mo said.
"The young are now
vowing to stay on for the night. They're saying that they would beat the police
by sheer numbers - and that sounds very scary to me.
"I was a journalist and I
did cover the Tiananmen bloodbath 30 years ago, and that's exactly what
those students said back then in the Chinese capital."
Photo gallery: Riot police disperse protesters
EPACopyright: EPA
Riot police moved in to disperse protesters at midnightImage caption: Riot police moved in to disperse protesters at midnight
EPACopyright: EPA
The police then fired tear gas against demonstratorsImage caption: The police then fired tear gas against demonstrators
EPACopyright: EPA
Many protesters sought cover under umbrellasImage caption: Many protesters sought cover under umbrellas
EPACopyright: EPA
But police with batons forced the crowds to leave the areaImage caption: But police with batons forced the crowds to leave the area
AFP/Getty ImagesCopyright: AFP/Getty Images
The main roads in the area were later sealed offImage caption: The main roads in the area were later sealed off
Inside Hong Kong's parliament
The BBC's Danny Vincent reports from inside parliament after protesters broke into the debating chamber.
Hundreds entered the building, spray-painting messages on the walls and damaging portraits of council members.
Video content
Video caption: Hong Kong protests: Inside parliamentHong Kong protests: Inside parliament
Many protesters now heading home
Many of the protesters have chosen to catch the last MTR train home from Admiralty.
Harcourt Road outside the legislature has been mainly cleared by police.
But this is not all happening in a vacuum. There's a lot of important context - some of it stretching back decades - that helps explain what is going on.
Earlier in the evening, protesters charged their way into the Legislative Council chamber.
This is the scene from the inside of the chamber a few moments ago. Many of the protesters have now chosen to leave.
AFPCopyright: AFP
Unrest on Hong Kong's anniversary handover
AFP/Getty ImagesCopyright: AFP/Getty Images
Police fire tear gas at protesters near the government headquarters in Hong KongImage caption: Police fire tear gas at protesters near the government headquarters in Hong Kong
Most of the demonstrators have already left the building - though a few remained in the central chamber alongside numerous members of the media as the police advanced.
The unrest followed a peaceful protest involving hundreds of thousands over a controversial extradition law.
Pro-democracy demonstrators had taken to the streets on 1 July - the 22nd anniversary of the city's handover from British to Chinese rule.
Police seal off area
The riot police moved in at midnight local time (16:00 GMT) after warning protesters to clear the building.
Protesters were seen running away as the police advanced.
The police were later seen forming a cordon around the parliament building.
It was not immediately known if there were any injuries.
Current scene outside parliament
This is the current scene outside Hong Kong's Legislative Council.
Police are now approaching the building. Earlier this evening, the Hong Kong Police Force urged protesters to leave the vicinity and said it "will take reasonable force."
AFPCopyright: AFP
AFPCopyright: AFP
Riot police moving towards Hong Kong's Legislative Council
Riot police are moving in towards Hong Kong’s Legislative
Council building after protesters stormed the chamber.
They used tear gas to disperse the crowds.
Earlier, a group of protesters smashed through glass
doors and made their way through the building.
Some spray-painted messages on the walls.
The Hong Kong
emblem inside the chamber was painted black while a union jack was raised at
the seat of the Legislative Council’s president.
The protesters are a breakaway group of peaceful
demonstrators who took to the streets of Hong Kong on the 22nd
anniversary of the handing over of the region to China.
Hundreds of thousands of people marched through the streets
on Monday calling for a controversial extradition bill that would allow
extradition to mainland China to be scrapped.
Live Reporting
Yaroslav Lukov and Sophie Williams
All times stated are UK
EPACopyright: EPA Riot police seal off the main roads in Hong KongImage caption: Riot police seal off the main roads in Hong Kong 
AFP/Getty ImagesCopyright: AFP/Getty Images Protesters broke though the glass entrance to the parliamentImage caption: Protesters broke though the glass entrance to the parliament 
AFP/Getty ImagesCopyright: AFP/Getty Images A portrait of the President of the Legislative Council, Andrew Leung, was smashedImage caption: A portrait of the President of the Legislative Council, Andrew Leung, was smashed 
AFP/Getty ImagesCopyright: AFP/Getty Images Walls of the parliament chamber were defaced by graffitiImage caption: Walls of the parliament chamber were defaced by graffiti 
AFP/Getty ImagesCopyright: AFP/Getty Images Barricades were erected inside the parliament buildingImage caption: Barricades were erected inside the parliament building 
AFP/Getty ImagesCopyright: AFP/Getty Images Protesters also raised the old British colonial flag in the chamberImage caption: Protesters also raised the old British colonial flag in the chamber 
EPACopyright: EPA Protesters attempt to break the glass at the Legislative CouncilImage caption: Protesters attempt to break the glass at the Legislative Council View more on twitterView more on twitter View more on twitterView more on twitter View more on twitterView more on twitter 
EPACopyright: EPA Riot police moved in to disperse protesters at midnightImage caption: Riot police moved in to disperse protesters at midnight 
EPACopyright: EPA The police then fired tear gas against demonstratorsImage caption: The police then fired tear gas against demonstrators 
EPACopyright: EPA Many protesters sought cover under umbrellasImage caption: Many protesters sought cover under umbrellas 
EPACopyright: EPA But police with batons forced the crowds to leave the areaImage caption: But police with batons forced the crowds to leave the area 
AFP/Getty ImagesCopyright: AFP/Getty Images The main roads in the area were later sealed offImage caption: The main roads in the area were later sealed off Video caption: Hong Kong protests: Inside parliamentHong Kong protests: Inside parliament View more on twitterView more on twitter Video caption: Hong Kong: Champagne and protests at handover anniversaryHong Kong: Champagne and protests at handover anniversary 
ReutersCopyright: Reuters 
AFPCopyright: AFP 
AFP/Getty ImagesCopyright: AFP/Getty Images Police fire tear gas at protesters near the government headquarters in Hong KongImage caption: Police fire tear gas at protesters near the government headquarters in Hong Kong 
AFPCopyright: AFP 
AFPCopyright: AFP
Latest PostEnd of our live coverage
We're now suspending our live coverage of the dramatic and fast changing events which have been taking place in Hong Kong.
Live footage suggests that the situation is calm now, with riot police fully in charge and no sign of demonstrators near the government district.
This is a dramatic turnaround from only a few hours ago, when crowds stormed and ransacked Hong Kong's parliament.
It followed weeks of unrest in the city over a controversial extradition law.
You can still follow all the latest developments on this and other news stories on the BBC News website.
'Protesters cleared in half an hour'
The BBC's Grace Tsoi at the scene on the dramatic events in Hong Kong
"At about 10:30pm police said they would be clearing the protest site soon. And protesters near the Legislative Council building were expecting them to come any minute.
They were barricading themselves with railings, water-filled barriers and umbrellas.
Minutes past midnight, hundreds of police officers in full gear - batons, helmets, shields and gas masks - closed in on thousands of young protesters, many of them in their early 20s, from Lung Wui Road.
Police raised black flags warning the protesters that “tear smoke” would be fired.
Within minutes, we saw at least two canisters of tear gas fired at the protesters.
In response, umbrellas were thrown at the police.
But protesters gave up their barricades very swiftly and dispersed to Harcourt Road. More tear gas was fired - but we couldn’t get a clear view.
In the space of about half an hour, thousands of protesters were cleared.
Their supplies - first aid kits, goggles and bottles of water - were left on the roads."
Protesters avoided violent confrontation - legislator
Fernando Cheung, a member of the Legislative Council, was in the building with the protesters.
He told the BBC that those inside had deliberately avoided a violent confrontation with the police.
"It is fortunate that I think all of the demonstrators retreated and they basically left safely without any actual encounters with the police.
"We're glad that is what happened. If they resisted, or anyone who would resist leaving the Legislative Council [sic], I'm afraid there would be bloodshed, or I think the police wouldn't be hesitant to use force to disperse them.
"There were a group of protesters who came back and grabbed the few who said they would be determined to stay, even risking their lives, and, of course, the rest of the protesters didn't agree and they came back and they dragged them out.
"And we're actually glad that happened," the legislator said.
Photo gallery: Parliament ransacked
Images from inside the parliament building which was briefly occupied by protesters.
Police secure parliament building
The parliament building has been retaken from the protesters.
Live footage shows riot police moving around the building to fully secure it.
Storming of parliament in pictures
Protesters have left the Legislative Council after smashing their way through glass doors and metal shutters.
Here's what the storming of parliament looked like in pictures.
Dialogue offer rejected - media
Jeffie Lam, who works for Hong Kong's South China Morning Post newspaper, tweets that protesters had requested a dialogue with Chief Executive Carrie Lam - but the request was rejected.
Elderly woman challenges police
Final moments inside the chamber
Protesters were seen dragging out those who wanted to stay inside the Legislative Council chamber.
They were heard shouting "Let's leave together."
Pro-democracy legislator scared
Claudia Mo, a Hong Kong pro-democracy legislator, was out on the streets when riot police moved in.
She told the BBC she was scared.
"I am now away from the scene of the clashes...there were fully armed, fully geared police force against, mainly the students, the young," Ms Mo said.
"The young are now vowing to stay on for the night. They're saying that they would beat the police by sheer numbers - and that sounds very scary to me.
"I was a journalist and I did cover the Tiananmen bloodbath 30 years ago, and that's exactly what those students said back then in the Chinese capital."
Photo gallery: Riot police disperse protesters
Inside Hong Kong's parliament
The BBC's Danny Vincent reports from inside parliament after protesters broke into the debating chamber.
Hundreds entered the building, spray-painting messages on the walls and damaging portraits of council members.
Video content
Many protesters now heading home
Many of the protesters have chosen to catch the last MTR train home from Admiralty.
Harcourt Road outside the legislature has been mainly cleared by police.
Video: Protesters batter their way into parliament
Video content
This how protesters stormed the parliament building.
Why are there protests in Hong Kong?
On the surface, these protests are about plans that would allow extradition from Hong Kong to mainland China.
Hong Kong-China extradition plans explained
But this is not all happening in a vacuum. There's a lot of important context - some of it stretching back decades - that helps explain what is going on.
Why are there protests in Hong Kong? All the context you need
Scene inside Legislative Council
Earlier in the evening, protesters charged their way into the Legislative Council chamber.
This is the scene from the inside of the chamber a few moments ago. Many of the protesters have now chosen to leave.
Unrest on Hong Kong's anniversary handover
Most of the demonstrators have already left the building - though a few remained in the central chamber alongside numerous members of the media as the police advanced.
The unrest followed a peaceful protest involving hundreds of thousands over a controversial extradition law.
Pro-democracy demonstrators had taken to the streets on 1 July - the 22nd anniversary of the city's handover from British to Chinese rule.
Police seal off area
The riot police moved in at midnight local time (16:00 GMT) after warning protesters to clear the building.
Protesters were seen running away as the police advanced.
The police were later seen forming a cordon around the parliament building.
It was not immediately known if there were any injuries.
Current scene outside parliament
This is the current scene outside Hong Kong's Legislative Council.
Police are now approaching the building. Earlier this evening, the Hong Kong Police Force urged protesters to leave the vicinity and said it "will take reasonable force."
Riot police moving towards Hong Kong's Legislative Council
Riot police are moving in towards Hong Kong’s Legislative Council building after protesters stormed the chamber.
They used tear gas to disperse the crowds.
Earlier, a group of protesters smashed through glass doors and made their way through the building.
Some spray-painted messages on the walls.
The Hong Kong emblem inside the chamber was painted black while a union jack was raised at the seat of the Legislative Council’s president.
The protesters are a breakaway group of peaceful demonstrators who took to the streets of Hong Kong on the 22nd anniversary of the handing over of the region to China.
Hundreds of thousands of people marched through the streets on Monday calling for a controversial extradition bill that would allow extradition to mainland China to be scrapped.