HONG KONG (AP) — Four protesters who took part in the storming of Hong Kong's legislature on Monday have spoken to The Associated Press, explaining why they felt compelled to do so despite the risks.

Hundreds of protesters wreaked havoc inside the government complex in scenes that shocked the world. It drew swift condemnation from officials in Hong Kong, Beijing and elsewhere.

The protesters, all in their teens and twenties, said they concluded that peaceful demonstrations were pointless after the failure of Hong Kong's pro-democracy Umbrella Movement in 2014.

They said the refusal of city leaders to listen to their demands and several deaths of protesters drove them to desperation.

The protesters said they took pains to avoid damaging historic relics during the sacking, targeting security systems they said threatened their safety.