'Well this escalated quickly': Nervous moment during live cross on The Project

A nervous moment during a live cross to protests in Hong Kong left The Project hosts holding their breath as the feed cut out and the screen went black.

The show’s hosts were speaking to reporter Hamish Macdonald who was in the middle of violent protests that were being met with a heavy-handed response from police.

When the feed momentarily cut off during the live cross, a nervous-looking Waleed Aly suddenly appeared on camera.

Seconds after the vision returned, a protestor could be seen imploring Mr Macdonald to put his gas mask on as a nearby police truck and water cannon loomed.

“Well this escalated quickly,” Mr Macdonald tweeted alongside a photo he shared of a protestor being treated after police fired tear gas.

Fierce clashes between pro-democracy protesters and police broke out in multiple parts of the city on Tuesday in the most widespread violence yet, as Hong Kong protestors continue to challenge Chinese rule as its Communist Party celebrated its 70th year in power.

Protestors hurled bricks, eggs, molotov cocktails and other projectiles at police in the latest outbreak of violent clashes.

“It just looks like an absolute disaster right now,” Mr Macdonald said.

“They’ve just set fire to one of the police stations.”

Local media reported that police fired live bullets in the Tsuen Wan area, injuring a protester. It would be the first time police have fired live rounds during months of protests in the city.

Riot police fired multiple volleys of tear gas in at least six locations and used water cannons in the business district in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

A security clampdown in the city to thwart violence that would embarrass Chinese President Xi Jinping failed to deter the protests, including a massive march in the city centre.

Organisers said at least 100,000 people marched along a broad city thoroughfare in defiance of a police ban, chanting anti-China slogans and some carrying Chinese flags defaced with a black cross.

“They are squeezing our necks so we don’t breathe the air of freedom,” said King Chan, a 57-year-old homemaker who came out to protest with her husband.

Many demonstrators tossed wads of fake “hell” bank notes usually used at funerals into the air. “The leaders who won’t listen to our voice, this is for them,” said marcher Ray Luk.

Thousands of people confronted police in multiple locations across the city, the largest number of simultaneous protests since the unrest began in early June over a now-shelved extradition bill that activists say was an example of how Hong Kong’s freedoms and citizen rights are being eroded.

The movement has since snowballed into an anti-Chinese campaign with demands for direct elections for the city’s leaders and police accountability.

A water cannon truck sprayed blue water, used to identify protesters, to disperse crowds from advancing to government offices in the city. Scores of police officers also stood guard near the Beijing’s liaison office as the battles continued across the territory.

“Today we are out to tell the Communist Party that Hong Kong people have nothing to celebrate,” said activist Lee Cheuk-yan as he led the downtown march. “We are mourning that in 70 years of Communist Party rule, the democratic rights of people in Hong Kong and China are being denied. We will continue to fight.”

The protests contrasted with Beijing’s anniversary festivities marked with a colourful parade and display of new missile technology. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, who is in Beijing for the ceremony, smiled as a Hong Kong float passed by.

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