by John Hayward, Breitbart:

Hong Kong activists defied orders from the police and marched on Tuesday to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the protest movement, which began with the debate over a law that would have made extraditing criminal suspects to China easier and which many fear could end with a national security law that Hong Kong’s legislature will not get to vote on at all.

Police officials warned they would “deploy adequate manpower in relevant locations” and “take resolute action to enforce the law, including making arrests,” especially if demonstrators blocked traffic or impeded access to government buildings.

Hong Kong authorities added they have seen “malicious and irresponsible” Internet posts urging “rioters” to throw gasoline bombs during Tuesday protests in an effort to “force police to deploy tear gas.”

Demonstrations nevertheless began around lunchtime on Tuesday. RTHK News found a few hundred protesters gathered at shopping malls, shining the lights on their cell phones like torches, hanging banners, and chanting protest slogans.

While RTHK reporters were covering one event, a lone pro-Beijing activist showed up, started a brief argument with the pro-democracy crowd, and was escorted off by security. Riot police were present outside the malls but did not intervene in the demonstration.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) commemorated the anniversary by warning that Hong Kong’s autonomy and the fundamental rights of its citizens are at risk from the oppressive national security law China is preparing to impose, bypassing the Hong Kong legislature in the process.

“For the past year, Hong Kong people have made clear their peaceful demands for freedom and autonomy, but the authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong choose to respond with ever-greater repression and violence,” said HRW’s Sophie Richardson on Tuesday.

Pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong, one of several dissidents and legislators who believe they are now under surveillance by mainland intelligence agents, said he has “strong confidence in Hong Kongers that we will have ways to resist and defy” the Chinese Communist regime.

“Moreover, I hope the world can stand with Hong Kong and protect the city from falling,” he said.

By Tuesday evening there were thousands of demonstrators in the streets, recreating a scene common from the past year of protests as police blocked off roads, deployed pepper spray, and filed new charges. Several prominent members of the pro-democracy movement said new and more serious charges were suddenly filed against them for occupying the legislature building last year, hinting at a crackdown to come as the new security law goes into effect ahead of July 1, a major symbolic date for demonstrators because it is the day China took control of Hong Kong back from the British.

Read More @ Breitbart.com