Hong Kong leader says police exercised restraint with latest protests

FILE PHOTO: Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam attends a news conference in Hong Kong, China, June 18, 2019. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong's embattled leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday that police had exercised restraint in dealing with the latest wave of protests to rock the city over an extradition bill that would allow people to be sent to mainland China for trial.

Lam was speaking after police fired tear gas to disperse the protesters who had charged the legislature, destroying pictures and daubing walls with graffiti, on the anniversary of the city's 1997 return to Chinese rule on Monday.