Pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong have escalated, a day after demonstrators upset over Beijing’s decision to limit political reforms defied onslaughts of tear gas and appeals from the territory’s top leader to go home.

Ousted politician Bo Xilai recanted a confession of bribery when prosecutors alleged he used his wife and son to help collect more than €2.9m in illicit funds as he stood trial in China’s biggest political scandal in decades.