&nbsp;A&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;pro-democracy&nbsp;activist&nbsp;jailed for six years for rioting in 2016 appeared in court on Wednesday to appeal&nbsp;against&nbsp;his&nbsp;sentence, as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-hong-kong-protests-biggest-political-crisis-in-xi-jinpings-career-254353">anti-government&nbsp;protests</a> showed no signs of abating despite new emergency laws and widespread arrests.

Edward Leung, 27, one of the leaders of a movement advocating independence from China, and two other&nbsp;activists received the harshest&nbsp;sentences handed down to&nbsp;pro-democracy&nbsp;leaders since the city returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Hundreds of Leung's supporters gathered outside the city's High Court and packed his courtroom on Wednesday, many wearing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/hong-kong-protesters-continues-to-defy-face-mask-ban-254131">black masks in defiance of a ban</a> on face masks invoked by authorities on Friday under colonial-era emergency laws.

Leung's hearing could become the latest flashpoint for anti-government&nbsp;protesters who have staged four months of demonstrations, some massive and violent,&nbsp;against&nbsp;leader Carrie Lam's administration.

Lam did not rule out asking Beijing for help in remarks on Tuesday as the Asian financial hub struggles to deal with&nbsp;protests that are damaging its economy.

More&nbsp;protests are expected on Wednesday and the coming week.

The former British colony is still recovering after a long weekend of violent&nbsp;protests that brought the city to a virtual standstill, with the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/hong-kong-reopens-most-metro-stations-shops-after-weekend-protests-254571">unprecedented closure of its metro </a>rail system, shops, ATMs, and mainland China banks.

What started as opposition to a now-withdrawn extradition bill has grown into a&nbsp;pro-democracy&nbsp;movement&nbsp;against&nbsp;what is seen as Beijing's tightening grip on the city, which&nbsp;protesters say undermines a "one country, two systems" formula&nbsp;promised when&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;returned to Chinese rule.

China dismisses such accusations, saying foreign governments, including Britain and the United States, have fanned anti-China sentiment.

The&nbsp;protests pose the biggest popular challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012 and are&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong's worst political crisis since the 1997 handover.

The city's metro operator MTR Corp, which carries about 5 million passengers a day, said on Wednesday some stations would remain closed due to damage and it would be shutting services early again at 8 p.m. (1200 GMT),&nbsp;more&nbsp;than four hours earlier than normal.

The closure of some stations on Wednesday resulted in massive queues of people waiting for shuttle buses during the morning rush hour, with some people choosing to walk kilometres to the nearest station.

MTR Corp was forced to shut down after arson attacks on Friday night, an unprecedented move that largely paralysed transportation. There were only partial operations during the weekend and limited services through the start of the week.

Hong&nbsp;Kong's economy has been hit hard by the&nbsp;protests, with many businesses and stores repeatedly closing as the Asian financial hub faces its first recession in a decade.

Lam warned on Tuesday the city's businesses faced "a severe winter season", while a police spokesman said&nbsp;more&nbsp;than 200 shops and public utilities had been damaged since Friday's violent clashes.

More&nbsp;than 100 restaurants have closed over the past month, putting around 2,000 people out of work, a representative from an association of catering&nbsp;professionals told public broadcaster RTHK on Wednesday.

Authorities have described&nbsp;protesters as "militant&nbsp;activists" but many&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;residents are also angry at the emergency powers, fearing their civil rights could be eroded.

More&nbsp;than 2,300 people have been arrested since June, while two teenagers have been shot and wounded in skirmishes with police. Scores of people, including police, have been injured.

The political sensitivities involved have been highlighted by a growing row after an executive of the U.S. National Basketball Association (NBA) team the Houston Rockets backed the&nbsp;protests.

One-time U.S. presidential candidate and former First Lady Hillary Clinton and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/despite-consequences-nba-boss-defends-values-in-china-row-254649">NBA Commissioner Adam Silver</a> both weighed in to the controversy, drawing the ire of Chinese state media.

Clinton said on her official Twitter account on Wednesday: "Every American has the right to voice their support for&nbsp;democracy&nbsp;and human rights for&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong. Full stop."

Silver spoke up for freedom of speech, saying it was not up to the NBA to regulate what players, employees and team owners said. Chinese state media responded on Wednesday by accusing the NBA of endorsing violence and peddling a "secessionist pipe dream".

In a separate case, a top online gamer from&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;who showed support for the&nbsp;protests was removed from an international tournament he won, forcing him to forgo prize money that media reports put at $10,000.

Blizzard Entertainment, via their brand Hearthstone, said the gamer identified as "Blitzchung" had violated rules and would not be allowed to play in any Hearthstone esports games for the next 12 months.

A Hong Kong pro-democracy activist jailed for six years for rioting in 2016 appeared in court on Wednesday to appeal against his sentence, as anti-government protests showed no signs of abating despite new emergency laws and widespread arrests.

A Hong Kong pro-democracy activist jailed for six years for rioting in 2016 appeared in court on Wednesday to appeal against his sentence, as anti-government protests showed no signs of abating despite new emergency laws and widespread arrests. Edward Leung, 27, one of the leaders of a movement advocating independence from China, and two other activists received the harshest sentences handed down to pro-democracy leaders since the city returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Hundreds of Leung's supporters gathered outside the city's High Court and packed his courtroom on Wednesday, many wearing black masks in defiance of a ban on face masks invoked by authorities on Friday under colonial-era emergency laws. Leung's hearing could become the latest flashpoint for anti-government protesters who have staged four months of demonstrations, some massive and violent, against leader Carrie Lam's administration. Lam did not rule out asking Beijing for help in remarks on Tuesday as the Asian financial hub struggles to deal with protests that are damaging its economy. More protests are expected on Wednesday and the coming week. The former British colony is still recovering after a long weekend of violent protests that brought the city to a virtual standstill, with the unprecedented closure of its metro rail system, shops, ATMs, and mainland China banks. What started as opposition to a now-withdrawn extradition bill has grown into a pro-democracy movement against what is seen as Beijing's tightening grip on the city, which protesters say undermines a "one country, two systems" formula promised when Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule. China dismisses such accusations, saying foreign governments, including Britain and the United States, have fanned anti-China sentiment. The protests pose the biggest popular challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012 and are Hong Kong's worst political crisis since the 1997 handover. The city's metro operator MTR Corp, which carries about 5 million passengers a day, said on Wednesday some stations would remain closed due to damage and it would be shutting services early again at 8 p.m. (1200 GMT), more than four hours earlier than normal. The closure of some stations on Wednesday resulted in massive queues of people waiting for shuttle buses during the morning rush hour, with some people choosing to walk kilometres to the nearest station. MTR Corp was forced to shut down after arson attacks on Friday night, an unprecedented move that largely paralysed transportation. There were only partial operations during the weekend and limited services through the start of the week. Hong Kong's economy has been hit hard by the protests, with many businesses and stores repeatedly closing as the Asian financial hub faces its first recession in a decade. Lam warned on Tuesday the city's businesses faced "a severe winter season", while a police spokesman said more than 200 shops and public utilities had been damaged since Friday's violent clashes. More than 100 restaurants have closed over the past month, putting around 2,000 people out of work, a representative from an association of catering professionals told public broadcaster RTHK on Wednesday. Authorities have described protesters as "militant activists" but many Hong Kong residents are also angry at the emergency powers, fearing their civil rights could be eroded. More than 2,300 people have been arrested since June, while two teenagers have been shot and wounded in skirmishes with police. Scores of people, including police, have been injured. The political sensitivities involved have been highlighted by a growing row after an executive of the U.S. National Basketball Association (NBA) team the Houston Rockets backed the protests. One-time U.S. presidential candidate and former First Lady Hillary Clinton and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver both weighed in to the controversy, drawing the ire of Chinese state media. Clinton said on her official Twitter account on Wednesday: "Every American has the right to voice their support for democracy and human rights for Hong Kong. Full stop." Silver spoke up for freedom of speech, saying it was not up to the NBA to regulate what players, employees and team owners said. Chinese state media responded on Wednesday by accusing the NBA of endorsing violence and peddling a "secessionist pipe dream". In a separate case, a top online gamer from Hong Kong who showed support for the protests was removed from an international tournament he won, forcing him to forgo prize money that media reports put at $10,000. Blizzard Entertainment, via their brand Hearthstone, said the gamer identified as "Blitzchung" had violated rules and would not be allowed to play in any Hearthstone esports games for the next 12 months.

Hong Kong pro-democracy activist appeals against sentence as more protests loom

Hong Kong's under-fire leader Carrie Lam said Tuesday she would not rule out accepting <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bear-consequences-for-your-actions-chinese-soldiers-issues-warning-to-hong-kong-protesters-254129">help from mainland China</a> in tackling increasingly violent pro-democracy protests.&nbsp;

The financial hub has been gripped by four months of rallies, and last weekend saw much of the city grind to a halt as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-soldiers-in-hong-kong-warn-protesters-as-emergency-rules-fail-to-quell-unrest-254107">masked demonstrators took to the streets in defiance of a controversial ban</a> on face coverings.

Lam's decision last Friday to invoke colonial-era emergency powers -- not used for half a century -- to impose the ban sparked some of the most violent scenes since the crisis began, as hardcore protesters trashed dozens of subway stations, vandalised shops with mainland China ties, built fires and blocked roads.

As much of the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/with-metro-still-partially-functioning-hong-kong-opens-for-business-after-violent-clashes-254366"> city returned to work after a three-day weekend</a>, Lam told reporters that while she believes the city's authorities can cope with the unprecedented troubles, China could be called upon if the situation becomes "so bad".

"At this point in time, I still strongly feel that we should find the solutions ourselves. It is also the position of the central government (in Beijing) that Hong Kong should tackle the problem on her own.

"But if the situation becomes so bad, then no options can be ruled out if we want Hong Kong to at least have another chance."

Watch: Hong Kong - protesters continues to defy face mask ban

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Mask ban backlash

Lam has faced widespread criticism over her decision to ban face masks -- ubiquitous in Hong Kong since a deadly SARS outbreak in 2003 -- and thousands of Hong Kongers flouted the prohibition during an unsanctioned mass march on Sunday.

So far two people -- a male university student and a 38-year-old woman -- have been charged with illegally wearing masks, and supporters wore their own face coverings during a court appearance on Monday.&nbsp;

The two were charged with unlawful assembly, which carries up to three years' jail time, and with defying the mask ban, which has a maximum one-year sentence. Both were released on bail.

Lam told journalists it was "too early" to say whether the anti-mask law was effective or not.&nbsp;

"I'm sure you'll agree that for any new policy or new legislation, it will take time to be effectively implemented," she said.

Lam also would not be drawn on a suggestion by one of her cabinet members, the veteran pro-Beijing politician Ip Kwok-him, that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-cabinet-member-floats-internet-curbs-to-contain-unrest-254254">Hong Kong may curb access to the internet</a> in a bid to contain the protests.

The leader insisted she was "very committed" to using political, legal and policy instruments, including dialogue, to address some of the "deep-seated problems" in the city.&nbsp;

Thirteen of the city's subway stations remained closed on Tuesday following the widespread vandalism and the operator said the entire network would close at 8pm (1200 GMT).&nbsp;

According to Hospital Authority figures, ten of the 13 people admitted to hospital over the weekend were in a stable condition on Tuesday while three had been discharged.

'Humane solution'

US President Donald Trump on Monday urged a "humane solution" in Hong Kong but noted that the crowds protesting against Chinese authorities were smaller than before.

"We just want to see a humane solution," Trump said in comments to reporters. "I think they have to do that in a peaceful manner."

He remarked on the "great people over there" and said, "they're flying the American flag."

But Trump avoided expressing support for the protesters' unprecedented show of defiance against Chinese communist rule and questioned whether they were losing steam.

At the start, "I saw two million people. I've never seen anything like it," Trump said. "The crowd size is much smaller now, so maybe that's saying something."

&nbsp;

Hong Kong's under-fire leader Carrie Lam said Tuesday she would not rule out accepting help from mainland China in tackling increasingly violent pro-democracy protests.

Hong Kong's under-fire leader Carrie Lam said Tuesday she would not rule out accepting help from mainland China in tackling increasingly violent pro-democracy protests. The financial hub has been gripped by four months of rallies, and last weekend saw much of the city grind to a halt as masked demonstrators took to the streets in defiance of a controversial ban on face coverings. Lam's decision last Friday to invoke colonial-era emergency powers -- not used for half a century -- to impose the ban sparked some of the most violent scenes since the crisis began, as hardcore protesters trashed dozens of subway stations, vandalised shops with mainland China ties, built fires and blocked roads. As much of the city returned to work after a three-day weekend, Lam told reporters that while she believes the city's authorities can cope with the unprecedented troubles, China could be called upon if the situation becomes "so bad". "At this point in time, I still strongly feel that we should find the solutions ourselves. It is also the position of the central government (in Beijing) that Hong Kong should tackle the problem on her own. "But if the situation becomes so bad, then no options can be ruled out if we want Hong Kong to at least have another chance." Watch: Hong Kong - protesters continues to defy face mask ban × Mask ban backlash Lam has faced widespread criticism over her decision to ban face masks -- ubiquitous in Hong Kong since a deadly SARS outbreak in 2003 -- and thousands of Hong Kongers flouted the prohibition during an unsanctioned mass march on Sunday. So far two people -- a male university student and a 38-year-old woman -- have been charged with illegally wearing masks, and supporters wore their own face coverings during a court appearance on Monday. The two were charged with unlawful assembly, which carries up to three years' jail time, and with defying the mask ban, which has a maximum one-year sentence. Both were released on bail. Lam told journalists it was "too early" to say whether the anti-mask law was effective or not. "I'm sure you'll agree that for any new policy or new legislation, it will take time to be effectively implemented," she said. Lam also would not be drawn on a suggestion by one of her cabinet members, the veteran pro-Beijing politician Ip Kwok-him, that Hong Kong may curb access to the internet in a bid to contain the protests. The leader insisted she was "very committed" to using political, legal and policy instruments, including dialogue, to address some of the "deep-seated problems" in the city. Thirteen of the city's subway stations remained closed on Tuesday following the widespread vandalism and the operator said the entire network would close at 8pm (1200 GMT). According to Hospital Authority figures, ten of the 13 people admitted to hospital over the weekend were in a stable condition on Tuesday while three had been discharged. 'Humane solution' US President Donald Trump on Monday urged a "humane solution" in Hong Kong but noted that the crowds protesting against Chinese authorities were smaller than before. "We just want to see a humane solution," Trump said in comments to reporters. "I think they have to do that in a peaceful manner." He remarked on the "great people over there" and said, "they're flying the American flag." But Trump avoided expressing support for the protesters' unprecedented show of defiance against Chinese communist rule and questioned whether they were losing steam. At the start, "I saw two million people. I've never seen anything like it," Trump said. "The crowd size is much smaller now, so maybe that's saying something."

Hong Kong 'won't rule out' Chinese help over protests: Leader Carrie Lam

In Hong Kong, Protesters continues to defy face mask ban. Thousands of protesters protested to defy this ban again. Two protesters reach court to protest. Watch this video to know more.

Hong Kong: Protesters continues to defy face mask ban

Hong Kong's bid to ban face masks has backfired. Tens of thousands of protesters marched through central Hong Kong on Sunday wearing face masks in defiance of colonial-era emergency powers which threaten them with a year in prison for hiding their faces. Watch this video to know more.

Hong Kong protests: Protesters brave rain to defy face mask ban

Hong Kong protests: Pro-democracy lawmakers challenge face mask ban

Hong Kong's bid to ban face masks has backfired. Watch this video to know more.

Hong Kong face mask ban prompts thousands to protest

A Hong Kong court rejected on Sunday a challenge to an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-metro-system-partially-reopens-as-city-braces-for-further-protests-253992">emergency law criminalising protesters wearing face masks</a> as democracy activists hit the streets again in defiance of the ban despite half the city's subway stations remaining closed.

Thousands of protesters have staged unsanctioned flashmob rallies across the strife-torn city -- some vandalising subway stations and shops -- after Hong Kong's leader outlawed face coverings at protests, invoking colonial-era emergency powers not used for half a century.

Pro-democracy lawmakers went to the High Court on Sunday seeking an emergency injunction against the ban, arguing the emergency powers bypassed the legislature and contravened the city's mini-constitution.

But a senior judge dismissed their injunction demand.

As the ruling was being delivered, two unsanctioned rallies were kicking off on both sides of Victoria Harbour, with thousands of masked protesters gathering in torrential downpours.

After four months of huge and increasingly violent protests, the city's unelected pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam invoked a sweeping colonial-era law on Friday allowing her to make "any regulations whatsoever" during a time of public danger.

She used it to ban masks -- which protesters have used to hide their identity or protect from tear gas -- and warned she would use the powers to make new regulations if the unrest did not abate.

The move was welcomed by government supporters and Beijing.

But opponents and protesters saw it as the start of a slippery slope tipping the international finance hub into authoritarianism.

"I would say this is one of the most important constitutional cases in the history of Hong Kong," lawmaker Dennis Kwok told reporters before the ruling.

"If this emergency law just gets a pass just like that Hong Kong will be deemed into a very black hole," he added, previously likening Lam to the autocratic English monarch Henry VIII.

Two teen protesters shot

Hong Kong has been battered a summer of rage as widespread public anger seethes over Chinese rule and the police response to protests.

The rallies were ignited by a now-scrapped plan to allow extraditions to the mainland, which fuelled fears of an erosion of liberties promised under the 50-year "one country, two systems" model China agreed ahead of the 1997 handover by Britain.

After Beijing and local leaders took a hard line, the demonstrations snowballed into a wider movement calling for more democratic freedoms and police accountability.

Lam has refused major concessions but struggled to come up with any political solution, leaving police and demonstrators to fight increasingly violent battles as the city tips into recession.

The worst clashes to date erupted on Tuesday as China celebrated 70 years of Communist Party rule, with a teenager shot and wounded by police as he attacked an officer.

A 14-year-old boy was then shot and wounded Friday night when a plainclothes police officer, who was surrounded by a mob of protesters throwing petrol bombs, fired his sidearm.&nbsp;

That night, masked protesters went on a rampage in dozens of locations, trashing subway stations and businesses with mainland China ties.

The city's subway system -- which carries four million people daily -- was shut down entirely Friday night and throughout Saturday, bringing much of the metropolis to a halt.

Major supermarket chains and malls announced they were closing, leading to long lines and panic buying.

Thousands of masked protesters still came out onto the streets throughout Saturday despite the mask ban and transport gridlock, although the crowds were smaller than recent rallies.

Subway partially reopens

On Sunday, the subway operator said 45 stations would open but 48 remained shuttered, many of them in the heart of the city's main tourist districts as well as those areas hit hardest by the protests and vandalism.

Lam has defended her use of the emergency powers and said that she is willing to issue more executive orders if the violence continues.

"We cannot allow rioters any more to destroy our treasured Hong Kong," Lam said in a stony-faced video statement on Saturday.

But protesters have vowed to keep hitting the streets.

"The anti-face mask law is the first step," Hosun Lee, a protester in Causeway Bay, told AFP, saying he feared more laws under the emergency order were on the way.

Protester demands include an independent inquiry into the police, an amnesty for the more than 2,000 people arrested and universal suffrage -- all requests rejected by Lam and Beijing.

A Hong Kong court rejected on Sunday a challenge to an emergency law criminalising protesters wearing face masks as democracy activists hit the streets again in defiance of the ban despite half the city's subway stations remaining closed.

A Hong Kong court rejected on Sunday a challenge to an emergency law criminalising protesters wearing face masks as democracy activists hit the streets again in defiance of the ban despite half the city's subway stations remaining closed. Thousands of protesters have staged unsanctioned flashmob rallies across the strife-torn city -- some vandalising subway stations and shops -- after Hong Kong's leader outlawed face coverings at protests, invoking colonial-era emergency powers not used for half a century. Pro-democracy lawmakers went to the High Court on Sunday seeking an emergency injunction against the ban, arguing the emergency powers bypassed the legislature and contravened the city's mini-constitution. But a senior judge dismissed their injunction demand. As the ruling was being delivered, two unsanctioned rallies were kicking off on both sides of Victoria Harbour, with thousands of masked protesters gathering in torrential downpours. After four months of huge and increasingly violent protests, the city's unelected pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam invoked a sweeping colonial-era law on Friday allowing her to make "any regulations whatsoever" during a time of public danger. She used it to ban masks -- which protesters have used to hide their identity or protect from tear gas -- and warned she would use the powers to make new regulations if the unrest did not abate. The move was welcomed by government supporters and Beijing. But opponents and protesters saw it as the start of a slippery slope tipping the international finance hub into authoritarianism. "I would say this is one of the most important constitutional cases in the history of Hong Kong," lawmaker Dennis Kwok told reporters before the ruling. "If this emergency law just gets a pass just like that Hong Kong will be deemed into a very black hole," he added, previously likening Lam to the autocratic English monarch Henry VIII. Two teen protesters shot Hong Kong has been battered a summer of rage as widespread public anger seethes over Chinese rule and the police response to protests. The rallies were ignited by a now-scrapped plan to allow extraditions to the mainland, which fuelled fears of an erosion of liberties promised under the 50-year "one country, two systems" model China agreed ahead of the 1997 handover by Britain. After Beijing and local leaders took a hard line, the demonstrations snowballed into a wider movement calling for more democratic freedoms and police accountability. Lam has refused major concessions but struggled to come up with any political solution, leaving police and demonstrators to fight increasingly violent battles as the city tips into recession. The worst clashes to date erupted on Tuesday as China celebrated 70 years of Communist Party rule, with a teenager shot and wounded by police as he attacked an officer. A 14-year-old boy was then shot and wounded Friday night when a plainclothes police officer, who was surrounded by a mob of protesters throwing petrol bombs, fired his sidearm. That night, masked protesters went on a rampage in dozens of locations, trashing subway stations and businesses with mainland China ties. The city's subway system -- which carries four million people daily -- was shut down entirely Friday night and throughout Saturday, bringing much of the metropolis to a halt. Major supermarket chains and malls announced they were closing, leading to long lines and panic buying. Thousands of masked protesters still came out onto the streets throughout Saturday despite the mask ban and transport gridlock, although the crowds were smaller than recent rallies. Subway partially reopens On Sunday, the subway operator said 45 stations would open but 48 remained shuttered, many of them in the heart of the city's main tourist districts as well as those areas hit hardest by the protests and vandalism. Lam has defended her use of the emergency powers and said that she is willing to issue more executive orders if the violence continues. "We cannot allow rioters any more to destroy our treasured Hong Kong," Lam said in a stony-faced video statement on Saturday. But protesters have vowed to keep hitting the streets. "The anti-face mask law is the first step," Hosun Lee, a protester in Causeway Bay, told AFP, saying he feared more laws under the emergency order were on the way. Protester demands include an independent inquiry into the police, an amnesty for the more than 2,000 people arrested and universal suffrage -- all requests rejected by Lam and Beijing.

Hong Kong court rejects mask ban challenge as fresh protests break out

Hong Kong protests: Thousands defy government face mask ban

Hundreds of masked protesters thronged the streets of Hong Kong on Saturday (October 5), many of them wearing masks in open defiance of government face mask ban.

Hong Kong: Thousands defy government face mask ban

Hong Kong's government was expected to meet Friday to discuss using a<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-set-to-ban-face-masks-in-bid-to-curb-violence-media-253483"> colonial-era emergency law </a>to ban pro-democracy protesters from wearing face masks, in a move opponents said would be a turning point that tips the financial hub into authoritarianism.

Seething public anger against Chinese rule of the semi-autonomous city has exploded into huge demonstrations and increasingly violent confrontations, with no sign of an end to nearly four months of unrest.

Protesters have used face masks to avoid identification -- along with yellow helmets, goggles and respirators to protect themselves from tear gas and police projectiles.

Local media reported embattled leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/investors-keep-their-faith-in-hong-kong-markets-despite-protests-253372">Carrie Lam </a>was expected to meet her cabinet on Friday morning to decide whether they should enact the Emergency Regulations Ordinance to ban all face coverings.

If passed, the ban would likely be announced later in the afternoon and come into force at midnight, a government source told the South China Morning Post.

The expected ban comes after Hong Kong was rocked by the worst violence on the summer on Tuesday, the same day China celebrated 70 years of Communist Party rule.

Street battles raged for hours between riot police and hardcore protesters while a teenager who was part of a group that attacked police with umbrellas and poles was shot in the chest with a live round -- the first such shooting since the protests began.

Watch: Hong Kong protesters hit police station with petrol bombs

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Pro-establishment lawmakers and a prominent police officer association have ramped up their calls for the government to invoke the emergency laws, which were last used 52 years ago by the British during deadly leftist riots.&nbsp;

The law allows the city's leader to make "any regulations whatsoever" in the event of an emergency or public danger without the need to go via's the city's parliament.

During the 1967 riots -- a period where more than 50 people were killed in a year-long leftist bombing and murder spree -- the British used the ERO to give police extra powers of arrest and rolled out widespread censorship of the press.

Government supporters say emergency powers are needed to combat the increased violence of hardcore protesters.

But critics have countered that bypassing the legislature and giving Lam the power to make any law would be a slippery slope for an international finance hub that owes its economic success to its reputation for rule of law and judicial independence.

"This is a watershed. This is a Rubicon," pro-democracy lawmaker Claudia Mo told AFP.

"And I'm worried this could be just a starter. More draconian bans in the name of law could be lurking around the corner," she added.&nbsp;

It is also not clear how a face mask ban would be enforceable.&nbsp;

Since a deadly SARS outbreak in 2003 that killed more than 300 people, face masks have become ubiquitous in Hong Kong.

Even moderate protesters have already shown a willingness to break the law in huge numbers, repeatedly defying police warnings to appear at unsanctioned rallies in their tens of thousands.

Hong Kong's government was expected to meet Friday to discuss using a colonial-era emergency law to ban pro-democracy protesters from wearing face masks, in a move opponents said would be a turning point that tips the financial hub into authoritarianism.

Hong Kong's government was expected to meet Friday to discuss using a colonial-era emergency law to ban pro-democracy protesters from wearing face masks, in a move opponents said would be a turning point that tips the financial hub into authoritarianism. Seething public anger against Chinese rule of the semi-autonomous city has exploded into huge demonstrations and increasingly violent confrontations, with no sign of an end to nearly four months of unrest. Protesters have used face masks to avoid identification -- along with yellow helmets, goggles and respirators to protect themselves from tear gas and police projectiles. Local media reported embattled leader Carrie Lam was expected to meet her cabinet on Friday morning to decide whether they should enact the Emergency Regulations Ordinance to ban all face coverings. If passed, the ban would likely be announced later in the afternoon and come into force at midnight, a government source told the South China Morning Post. The expected ban comes after Hong Kong was rocked by the worst violence on the summer on Tuesday, the same day China celebrated 70 years of Communist Party rule. Street battles raged for hours between riot police and hardcore protesters while a teenager who was part of a group that attacked police with umbrellas and poles was shot in the chest with a live round -- the first such shooting since the protests began. Watch: Hong Kong protesters hit police station with petrol bombs × Pro-establishment lawmakers and a prominent police officer association have ramped up their calls for the government to invoke the emergency laws, which were last used 52 years ago by the British during deadly leftist riots. The law allows the city's leader to make "any regulations whatsoever" in the event of an emergency or public danger without the need to go via's the city's parliament. During the 1967 riots -- a period where more than 50 people were killed in a year-long leftist bombing and murder spree -- the British used the ERO to give police extra powers of arrest and rolled out widespread censorship of the press. Government supporters say emergency powers are needed to combat the increased violence of hardcore protesters. But critics have countered that bypassing the legislature and giving Lam the power to make any law would be a slippery slope for an international finance hub that owes its economic success to its reputation for rule of law and judicial independence. "This is a watershed. This is a Rubicon," pro-democracy lawmaker Claudia Mo told AFP. "And I'm worried this could be just a starter. More draconian bans in the name of law could be lurking around the corner," she added. It is also not clear how a face mask ban would be enforceable. Since a deadly SARS outbreak in 2003 that killed more than 300 people, face masks have become ubiquitous in Hong Kong. Even moderate protesters have already shown a willingness to break the law in huge numbers, repeatedly defying police warnings to appear at unsanctioned rallies in their tens of thousands.

Hong Kong government to meet today to discuss face mask ban at protests

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