Hong Kong protests: Carrie Lam condemns 'extreme use of violence'

Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam has condemned what she called the "extreme use of violence" by protesters who stormed and vandalised the territory's parliament on Monday night.

Activists occupied the Legislative Council (LegCo) for hours after breaking away from a peaceful protest.

The unrest follows peaceful protests sparked by a divisive extradition bill.

The chief executive held a pre-dawn press conference after police had fired tear gas to clear LegCo.

Flanked by Police Commissioner Lo Wai-chung, she said the actions of those who broke into LegCo were "something that we should seriously condemn, because nothing is more important than the rule of law in Hong Kong".

The government suspended the extradition bill last month and it is now unlikely to pass, but the protesters want it scrapped completely and are calling on Ms Lam to stand down.