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Hong Kong leader says 'attack' on China rep office a challenge to national sovereignty

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam holds a news conference in Hong Kong

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong's leader on Monday strongly condemned some anti-government protesters for an "attack" on China's main representative office in the city.

On Sunday police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse activists after they had fled China's Liaison Office, its main representative branch in the city, after defacing some walls and a national emblem.

Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam said the targeting of the office was a "challenge" to national sovereignty, condemning violent behavior of any kind.

She also described as "shocking" an apparent attack by organized triad criminal gangs on ordinary citizens and protesters at a train station on Sunday, saying authorities would investigate fully.

(Reporting by Donny Kwok, James Pomfret; Editing by Kim Coghill)