Mass protests in Hong Kong turned violent on Wednesday after police hit marchers with tear gas and pepper spray. The violent scenes came after the government postponed a debate over an extradition bill after thousands of demonstrators blocked entry to government headquarters to protest the proposed legislation. Protesters say the bill, which would grant extraditions to mainland China for trial, would cut down on civil liberties, and stop differentiating Hong Kong residents from their mainland counterparts. “We are not China,” Marco Leung, 23, told CNN. “If the law goes through, there is no difference between Hong Kong and China. That’s why we are all out here on a Wednesday in the morning—just to say no to this f**king law. We are citizens, we belong here. The police shouldn’t be against the citizens. Police should protect the citizens, not the government.” Authorities issued a statement saying the legislative session in which the bill was scheduled to be discussed will be set for a different time.