What role do Chinese troops play in Hong Kong unrest?

A government ban on demonstrators wearing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/asian-airlines-slash-flights-to-hong-kong-as-unrest-escalates-262832">face masks</a>, aimed at helping to quell months of pro-democracy unrest in Hong Kong, is unconstitutional, the territory's high court ruled Monday.

"The restrictions it imposes on fundamental rights... go further than is reasonably necessary... and therefore fail to meet the proportionality test," the court said, according to a press summary.

The ban on face-covering came into force in October, when the city's unelected pro-Beijing leader invoked colonial-era legislation for the first time in more than 50 years.

The move was seen as a watershed legal moment for the city since its 1997 return by Britain to China&nbsp;but has been largely symbolic.

Demonstrators,&nbsp;most of them wearing masks,&nbsp;have continued to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-protesters-set-fire-to-hold-off-police-at-university-campus-262783">clash with police</a>, often violently, as they press their demands for greater democracy for Hong Kong, as well as an independent inquiry into alleged brutality by the increasingly unpopular police force.

A government ban on demonstrators wearing face masks, aimed at helping to quell months of pro-democracy unrest in Hong Kong, is unconstitutional, the territory's high court ruled Monday.

A government ban on demonstrators wearing face masks, aimed at helping to quell months of pro-democracy unrest in Hong Kong, is unconstitutional, the territory's high court ruled Monday. "The restrictions it imposes on fundamental rights... go further than is reasonably necessary... and therefore fail to meet the proportionality test," the court said, according to a press summary. The ban on face-covering came into force in October, when the city's unelected pro-Beijing leader invoked colonial-era legislation for the first time in more than 50 years. The move was seen as a watershed legal moment for the city since its 1997 return by Britain to China but has been largely symbolic. Demonstrators, most of them wearing masks, have continued to clash with police, often violently, as they press their demands for greater democracy for Hong Kong, as well as an independent inquiry into alleged brutality by the increasingly unpopular police force.

Ban on wearing face masks restricts fundamental rights, rules Hong Kong high court

Several Asian airlines have cut flights to Hong Kong over the coming weeks, according to industry scheduling publication Routes Online, as anti-government protests in the city grow increasingly violent and disrupt daily life.

Routes online said latest schedules showed cancellations from PT Garuda Indonesia (Persero) Tbk, India's SpiceJet Ltd, Malaysia's AirAsia Group Bhd, and the Philippines' PAL Holdings Inc and Cebu Air Inc.

The cuts come as Hong Kong police on Monday fired tear gas at protesters trying to escape a besieged university, while others armed with petrol bombs awaited an expected operation to oust them.

The unrest, raging for almost six months, and an escalating Sino-US&nbsp;trade war has pushed the Asian financial hub into recession for the first time in a decade.

On Monday, Routes Online showed Garuda has reduced weekly flights to Hong Kong to four from 21 through mid-December, SpiceJet has suspended its Mumbai-Hong Kong route through January&nbsp;15 and AirAsia has cut flights from Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu in December and January.

Garuda and SpiceJet did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment. AirAsia said passenger numbers have been lower over the past few months and that it is adjusting capacity accordingly.

A spokeswoman for PAL Holdings' Philippine Airlines said the carrier was using smaller planes than usual for Hong Kong as passengers were postponing travel due to safety concerns. It has also cut daily flights from Manila to four from five, she said.

A spokeswoman for Cebu Air's Cebu Pacific said the budget carrier has cut flights from Cebu and Clark through December and January respectively due to softened demand. She said the airline nevertheless launched its Puerto Princesa-Hong Kong route on Sunday as scheduled.

Airport Authority Hong Kong on Sunday reported an October decline of 13 per cent&nbsp;in passengers and 6.1 per cent&nbsp;in the number of inbound and outbound flights - the steepest falls since the unrest began. It said a growing proportion of travellers were using Hong Kong as a transit point rather than a destination.

Last week, Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd said its business outlook was "challenging and uncertain" and that it has cut capacity and delayed four plane deliveries due to falling demand.

Major mainland Chinese carriers also reported double-digit declines in demand on so-called regional routes in September and October as protests in Hong Kong and travel restrictions to Taiwan took their toll, monthly traffic reports showed.

Routes Online said several Chinese carriers, including Air China Ltd, China Eastern Airlines Corp Ltd and China Southern Airlines Co Ltd had filed for fresh capacity reductions to Hong Kong since late October.

China Eastern declined to comment when contacted by Reuters. Air China and China Southern did not respond to requests for comment.

Several Asian airlines have cut flights to Hong Kong over the coming weeks, according to industry scheduling publication Routes Online, as anti-government protests in the city grow increasingly violent and disrupt daily life.

Several Asian airlines have cut flights to Hong Kong over the coming weeks, according to industry scheduling publication Routes Online, as anti-government protests in the city grow increasingly violent and disrupt daily life. Routes online said latest schedules showed cancellations from PT Garuda Indonesia (Persero) Tbk, India's SpiceJet Ltd, Malaysia's AirAsia Group Bhd, and the Philippines' PAL Holdings Inc and Cebu Air Inc. The cuts come as Hong Kong police on Monday fired tear gas at protesters trying to escape a besieged university, while others armed with petrol bombs awaited an expected operation to oust them. The unrest, raging for almost six months, and an escalating Sino-US trade war has pushed the Asian financial hub into recession for the first time in a decade. On Monday, Routes Online showed Garuda has reduced weekly flights to Hong Kong to four from 21 through mid-December, SpiceJet has suspended its Mumbai-Hong Kong route through January 15 and AirAsia has cut flights from Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu in December and January. Garuda and SpiceJet did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment. AirAsia said passenger numbers have been lower over the past few months and that it is adjusting capacity accordingly. A spokeswoman for PAL Holdings' Philippine Airlines said the carrier was using smaller planes than usual for Hong Kong as passengers were postponing travel due to safety concerns. It has also cut daily flights from Manila to four from five, she said. A spokeswoman for Cebu Air's Cebu Pacific said the budget carrier has cut flights from Cebu and Clark through December and January respectively due to softened demand. She said the airline nevertheless launched its Puerto Princesa-Hong Kong route on Sunday as scheduled. Airport Authority Hong Kong on Sunday reported an October decline of 13 per cent in passengers and 6.1 per cent in the number of inbound and outbound flights - the steepest falls since the unrest began. It said a growing proportion of travellers were using Hong Kong as a transit point rather than a destination. Last week, Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd said its business outlook was "challenging and uncertain" and that it has cut capacity and delayed four plane deliveries due to falling demand. Major mainland Chinese carriers also reported double-digit declines in demand on so-called regional routes in September and October as protests in Hong Kong and travel restrictions to Taiwan took their toll, monthly traffic reports showed. Routes Online said several Chinese carriers, including Air China Ltd, China Eastern Airlines Corp Ltd and China Southern Airlines Co Ltd had filed for fresh capacity reductions to Hong Kong since late October. China Eastern declined to comment when contacted by Reuters. Air China and China Southern did not respond to requests for comment.

Asian airlines slash flights to Hong Kong as unrest escalates

Hong Kong continues to be on the boil, Universities turned into the fortress. Students barricade the entrance points of the universities to the police. Watch this video to find out more in the details.

Hong Kong continues to be on the boil, Universities turned into the fortress

Pro-democracy demonstrators holed up in a Hong Kong university campus set the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-protest-armoured-vehicle-set-ablaze-as-fierce-clashes-continue-262751">main entrance ablaze</a> Monday to prevent surrounding police moving in after officers warned they may use live rounds if confronted by deadly weapons.

The police warning, which came after one officer was struck by an arrow, marked a further escalation of the near six-month crisis engulfing the city.

China has repeatedly warned that it will not tolerate dissent, and there are growing concerns that Beijing could intervene directly to end the spiralling unrest.

Several loud blasts were heard around dawn on Monday before a wall of fire lit up an entrance to the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), AFP reporters said, as what appeared to be a police attempt to enter the campus was repelled by protesters determined to hold their ground.

Police said they had fired three live rounds in the early hours of Monday at a protest site near the university but that no one appeared to have been hit.

Intense clashes throughout Sunday, which saw a police officer hit in the leg by an arrow and protesters meet police tear gas with volleys of petrol bombs, rolled overnight across the Kowloon district, as a call went out to defend the besieged campus.

There, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/arrow-fired-by-hong-kong-protester-hits-police-officer-report-262703">protesters had hunkered down under umbrellas</a> from occasional fire from police water cannon and hurled Molotov cocktails at an armoured vehicle, leaving it ablaze on a flyover near the campus.

Police declared the campus a "riot" scene,&nbsp;rioting is punishable by up to 10 years in jail,&nbsp;and blocked exits as spokesman Louis Lau issued a stark warning in a Facebook live broadcast.

"I hereby warn rioters not to use petrol bombs, arrows, cars or any deadly weapons to attack police officers," he said.

"If they continue such dangerous actions, we would have no choice but to use the minimum force necessary, including live rounds, to fire back."

Three protesters have been shot by police in the unrelenting months of protests, but all in scuffles as chaotic street clashes played out -- and without a sweeping warning being given by a force that overwhelmingly depends on tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets.

Fear gripped protesters still trapped inside the campus -- whose occupation is a twist in tactics by a leaderless movement so far defined by its fluid, unpredictable nature.

"I feel scared. There's no way out. All I can do is fight to the end," one protester joining the barricade in front of the university building said early Monday.

Watch: Chinese army in Hong Kong for first time since protests began

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/china-army-in-hong-kong-for-first-time-since-protests-began-262651/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

'Helpless'

Owen Li, a PolyU council member and student, said panic had taken hold of the few hundred protesters believed to be holed up.

"Many friends feel helpless... we appeal to all of society to come out and help us."

Throughout Sunday, activists parried attempts by police to break through into the campus, firing rocks using a homemade catapult from the university roof, while an AFP reporter saw a team of masked archers,&nbsp;several carrying sports bows,&nbsp;patrolling the site.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/clean-up-begins-in-hong-kong-after-week-of-chaos-and-destruction-262563">Violence has worsened in recent days</a>, with two men killed in separate incidents linked to the protests this month.&nbsp;

Chinese President Xi Jinping this week issued his most strident comments on the crisis, saying it threatened the "one country, two systems" model under which Hong Kong has been ruled since the 1997 handover from Britain.

Demonstrators last week engineered a "Blossom Everywhere" campaign of blockades and vandalism, which forced the police to draft in prison officers as reinforcements, shut down large chunks of Hong Kong's transport network and closed schools and shopping malls.

The protests started against a now-shelved bill to allow extradition to China but have billowed to encompass wider issues such as perceived police brutality and calls for fully free elections in the former British colony.

The financial hub has been nudged into a recession by the unrelenting turmoil.

A poster circulating on social media called for the "dawn action" to continue on Monday.&nbsp;

"Squeeze the economy to increase pressure," it said.

Pro-democracy demonstrators holed up in a Hong Kong university campus set the main entrance ablaze Monday to prevent surrounding police moving in after officers warned they may use live rounds if confronted by deadly weapons.

Pro-democracy demonstrators holed up in a Hong Kong university campus set the main entrance ablaze Monday to prevent surrounding police moving in after officers warned they may use live rounds if confronted by deadly weapons. The police warning, which came after one officer was struck by an arrow, marked a further escalation of the near six-month crisis engulfing the city. China has repeatedly warned that it will not tolerate dissent, and there are growing concerns that Beijing could intervene directly to end the spiralling unrest. Several loud blasts were heard around dawn on Monday before a wall of fire lit up an entrance to the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), AFP reporters said, as what appeared to be a police attempt to enter the campus was repelled by protesters determined to hold their ground. Police said they had fired three live rounds in the early hours of Monday at a protest site near the university but that no one appeared to have been hit. Intense clashes throughout Sunday, which saw a police officer hit in the leg by an arrow and protesters meet police tear gas with volleys of petrol bombs, rolled overnight across the Kowloon district, as a call went out to defend the besieged campus. There, protesters had hunkered down under umbrellas from occasional fire from police water cannon and hurled Molotov cocktails at an armoured vehicle, leaving it ablaze on a flyover near the campus. Police declared the campus a "riot" scene, rioting is punishable by up to 10 years in jail, and blocked exits as spokesman Louis Lau issued a stark warning in a Facebook live broadcast. "I hereby warn rioters not to use petrol bombs, arrows, cars or any deadly weapons to attack police officers," he said. "If they continue such dangerous actions, we would have no choice but to use the minimum force necessary, including live rounds, to fire back." Three protesters have been shot by police in the unrelenting months of protests, but all in scuffles as chaotic street clashes played out -- and without a sweeping warning being given by a force that overwhelmingly depends on tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets. Fear gripped protesters still trapped inside the campus -- whose occupation is a twist in tactics by a leaderless movement so far defined by its fluid, unpredictable nature. "I feel scared. There's no way out. All I can do is fight to the end," one protester joining the barricade in front of the university building said early Monday. Watch: Chinese army in Hong Kong for first time since protests began 'Helpless' Owen Li, a PolyU council member and student, said panic had taken hold of the few hundred protesters believed to be holed up. "Many friends feel helpless... we appeal to all of society to come out and help us." Throughout Sunday, activists parried attempts by police to break through into the campus, firing rocks using a homemade catapult from the university roof, while an AFP reporter saw a team of masked archers, several carrying sports bows, patrolling the site. Violence has worsened in recent days, with two men killed in separate incidents linked to the protests this month. Chinese President Xi Jinping this week issued his most strident comments on the crisis, saying it threatened the "one country, two systems" model under which Hong Kong has been ruled since the 1997 handover from Britain. Demonstrators last week engineered a "Blossom Everywhere" campaign of blockades and vandalism, which forced the police to draft in prison officers as reinforcements, shut down large chunks of Hong Kong's transport network and closed schools and shopping malls. The protests started against a now-shelved bill to allow extradition to China but have billowed to encompass wider issues such as perceived police brutality and calls for fully free elections in the former British colony. The financial hub has been nudged into a recession by the unrelenting turmoil. A poster circulating on social media called for the "dawn action" to continue on Monday. "Squeeze the economy to increase pressure," it said.

Protesters set fire to hold off police at university campus in Hong Kong

Grace Lee speaks about the current situation in Hong Kong.

WION Dispatch: Grace Lee on Hong Kong Crisis

China's ambassador to Britain on Monday warned against any "external interference" in Hong Kong, where months of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/hong-kong-police-legitimacy-draining-away-amid-spiral-of-rage-and-retaliation-262898">protests have erupted into increasingly violen</a>t confrontations.

At a press conference in London, Liu Xiaoming singled out Britain and the United States for meddling in internal Chinese affairs.

"We would like to tell those external forces that the Chinese government remains steadfast... to oppose any" external interference in Hong Kong affairs, he said.

The comments came as Britain, the former <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-defence-ministry-defends-deploying-soldiers-in-hong-kong-calls-it-most-pressing-task-262844">colonial power in Hong Kong</a>, expressed concerns about the escalation of violence between protesters and authorities.

Riot police on Monday sought to dislodge several hundred pro-democracy protesters who occupied a university and had set fire to its main entrance.

Police, who have in recent days been attacked with arrows, used tear gas and fired live rounds.

"The UK is seriously concerned by the escalation in violence from both the protesters and the authorities around Hong Kong university campuses," the British Foreign Office said.&nbsp;

"It is vital that those who are injured are able to receive appropriate medical treatment, and that safe passage is made available for all those who wish to leave the area.&nbsp;

"We need to see an end to the violence, and for all sides to engage in meaningful political dialogue ahead of the District Council elections on Sunday."

Liu Xiaoming accused the protesters of trying to destabilise and paralyse Hong Kong to "seize power".

"Hong Kong citizens live under black terror created by violent extremism with their life and property under severe threat," he said.

He warned that Hong Kong was "sliding into the abyss" and if the violence continues, "the future will be unimaginably dreadful".

"The once Oriental star is turning into the Oriental scar," he told reporters.

China's ambassador to Britain on Monday warned against any "external interference" in Hong Kong, where months of protests have erupted into increasingly violent confrontations.

China's ambassador to Britain on Monday warned against any "external interference" in Hong Kong, where months of protests have erupted into increasingly violent confrontations. At a press conference in London, Liu Xiaoming singled out Britain and the United States for meddling in internal Chinese affairs. "We would like to tell those external forces that the Chinese government remains steadfast... to oppose any" external interference in Hong Kong affairs, he said. The comments came as Britain, the former colonial power in Hong Kong, expressed concerns about the escalation of violence between protesters and authorities. Riot police on Monday sought to dislodge several hundred pro-democracy protesters who occupied a university and had set fire to its main entrance. Police, who have in recent days been attacked with arrows, used tear gas and fired live rounds. "The UK is seriously concerned by the escalation in violence from both the protesters and the authorities around Hong Kong university campuses," the British Foreign Office said. "It is vital that those who are injured are able to receive appropriate medical treatment, and that safe passage is made available for all those who wish to leave the area. "We need to see an end to the violence, and for all sides to engage in meaningful political dialogue ahead of the District Council elections on Sunday." Liu Xiaoming accused the protesters of trying to destabilise and paralyse Hong Kong to "seize power". "Hong Kong citizens live under black terror created by violent extremism with their life and property under severe threat," he said. He warned that Hong Kong was "sliding into the abyss" and if the violence continues, "the future will be unimaginably dreadful". "The once Oriental star is turning into the Oriental scar," he told reporters.

China envoy warns US, UK against 'external interference' in Hong Kong

By Carol Anne Goodwin Jones

The situation in Hong Kong has become decidedly more serious and more intense in the past week. The sporadic violence associated with small groups of protesters and police has escalated into full-scale battles. There have been two deaths, more arrests, more teargas, more people injured, some critically. Lines have well and truly been drawn and crossed by both sides.

The government claims it is in control of the situation but, among the public, there is a widespread belief that the police are being allowed to act out of control.

It was the death of a young student, Alex Chow, during a police clearance operation in early November, and the police shooting, at point blank range, of an unarmed protester a few days later, which prompted this turn to violence.

The exact circumstances of Chow’s death are still surrounded in mystery and rumour. The shooting on November 11, however, was caught clearly on camera, evidence of the unnecessary and disproportionate use of lethal force. The police had previously used live fire against demonstrators, but on those occasions, there was sufficient doubt about the level of threat posed by the protesters to deflect claims of unjustified police force. This time, however, the incident was so clearly caught on camera that the attempts by police spokespeople to justify it lacked all credibility.

Together with the force’s unwillingness to acknowledge any wrongdoing, this has simply contributed to the growing feeling that the police are now acting with impunity. Even in the face of clear evidence, no one has yet been held to account. Meanwhile, state media in Beijing began to describe the situation as “chaos”, a word reminiscent of China’s justification for its deadly crackdown against protesters in Tiananmen Square in 1989.

The police’s resolute rejection of allegations that they have abused their power is fuelling the public’s belief that the government is simply not prepared to listen to them. This is what some protesters have argued since the start, when the government failed to respond to the 2 million people who marched peaceably through Hong Kong in June.

The failure to persuade the government of the need for political reform and an independent police inquiry by peaceful means is the rationale of those who have turned to violence. But this has not, as some claim, resulted in “mindless acts of violence”. The protesters have targeted specific places and property associated with mainland China. Until this week, violence against the person was not part of their repertoire.

It was the police, not the protesters, who first opened fire and who have continued to engage in confrontational acts designed to provoke a reaction, including calling the protesters “cockroaches” and banging their shields as they move forwards in formation. This strategy has simply produced a spiral of action-and-reaction, descending into acts of revenge and retaliation on both sides.

Tear gas tales 
But it is the police who have the weaponry. It is their tear gas, pepper spray, water cannons, rubber bullets and firearms which have posed the greater threat to life and limb. And it’s not only the groups of violent protesters who are affected. Verifiable footage, witness statements by lawyers, first aiders and Amnesty all testify to the police strong-arming of by-standers, spraying tear gas directly into the face of anyone who gets in their way.

The gas has also been sprayed in such volume that it has seeped into buses, the underground, and shops, afflicting one reporter with chloracne, a known effect of direct exposure to the dioxins used in tear gas. Face masks – commonly used to stifle the spread of germs during the flu season – are now being worn by some families inside their own homes because tear gas has been fired into their buildings.

Live television and Twitter streams footage of the police abusing citizens into their living rooms. Children, fathers, mothers and grandparents now have their own stories of daily, small-scale but deeply serious violations by the police. They have watched live video of the police spraying tear gas and pepper spray in enclosed spaces, directly into a person’s face at close quarters, and at very young children running along the street. They have heard police officers swearing at those they deem protesters, threatening them with batons and firearms, and – on occasion – talking between themselves in Mandarin, the language of the mainland, rather than the Cantonese spoken in Hong Kong.

Whether it be from the top deck of their bus, on the streets or in their living rooms, Hong Kongers have witnessed water cannon laced with blue die and chemicals spraying water indiscriminately along the streets, and even into the entrance of a well-known mosque. It’s precisely because police malpractice is so flagrant and unchecked that ordinary people in football stadiums, sports centres and shopping malls can now be heard booing the Chinese National Anthem, cursing the police, and filing out of their downtown city offices to show their support for the protesters.

When a police spokesman spoke on November 12 of the breakdown of the rule of law, it was not, therefore, on the protesters that the public first placed the blame.

Losing legitimacy 
Since the 1997 handover, Hong Kong has been badly governed by a succession of weak leaders, but it retains its common law system, under which no one, including the police, is above the law. In common with police forces around the world, the Hong Kong Police receive special training in public order policing which should equip them to handle riot situations appropriately. Internal police guidelines also regulate the use of force in public order policing. It’s the existence of these regulations and legal restraints which, though imperfect, have until now led Hong Kongers to accept the police force as the only institution which can legitimately employ coercive means against the citizen.

But the visible lack of restraint exercised by the police in recent days has undermined this legitimacy. The fact that being captured on film has had no restraining effect whatsoever has convinced many members of the public that the police must have been given some assurance of immunity.

Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s chief executive, has repeatedly stated her support for the police and refused outright to criticise their misconduct. An independent panel of experts said in mid-November that the existing mechanisms of police accountability were incapable of conducting a proper investigation, but so far the government has not responded to its recommendations.

It is this idea that the state actively sanctions police violence that has cemented the belief that the Hong Kong government stands against the people. Only the state can alter that. The restoration of law and order demanded by Beijing can only be achieved by reining in the police, not by further state violence. That is likely to transform the 2 million peaceful protesters of June into millions more protesters, coming to the aid of those on the frontline, fighting for their way of life. Strong-arm policing is not so much a sign of authoritarianism, as it is a symptom of a failed state.

(Carol Anne Goodwin Jones is Reader, Birmingham Law School, University of Birmingham)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the<a href="https://theconversation.com/hong-kong-police-legitimacy-draining-away-amid-spiral-of-rage-and-retaliation-127127"> original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp;

By Carol Anne Goodwin Jones The situation in Hong Kong has become decidedly more serious and more intense in the past week. The sporadic violence associated with small groups of protesters and police has escalated into full-scale battles.

By Carol Anne Goodwin Jones The situation in Hong Kong has become decidedly more serious and more intense in the past week. The sporadic violence associated with small groups of protesters and police has escalated into full-scale battles. There have been two deaths, more arrests, more teargas, more people injured, some critically. Lines have well and truly been drawn and crossed by both sides. The government claims it is in control of the situation but, among the public, there is a widespread belief that the police are being allowed to act out of control. It was the death of a young student, Alex Chow, during a police clearance operation in early November, and the police shooting, at point blank range, of an unarmed protester a few days later, which prompted this turn to violence. The exact circumstances of Chow’s death are still surrounded in mystery and rumour. The shooting on November 11, however, was caught clearly on camera, evidence of the unnecessary and disproportionate use of lethal force. The police had previously used live fire against demonstrators, but on those occasions, there was sufficient doubt about the level of threat posed by the protesters to deflect claims of unjustified police force. This time, however, the incident was so clearly caught on camera that the attempts by police spokespeople to justify it lacked all credibility. Together with the force’s unwillingness to acknowledge any wrongdoing, this has simply contributed to the growing feeling that the police are now acting with impunity. Even in the face of clear evidence, no one has yet been held to account. Meanwhile, state media in Beijing began to describe the situation as “chaos”, a word reminiscent of China’s justification for its deadly crackdown against protesters in Tiananmen Square in 1989. The police’s resolute rejection of allegations that they have abused their power is fuelling the public’s belief that the government is simply not prepared to listen to them. This is what some protesters have argued since the start, when the government failed to respond to the 2 million people who marched peaceably through Hong Kong in June. The failure to persuade the government of the need for political reform and an independent police inquiry by peaceful means is the rationale of those who have turned to violence. But this has not, as some claim, resulted in “mindless acts of violence”. The protesters have targeted specific places and property associated with mainland China. Until this week, violence against the person was not part of their repertoire. It was the police, not the protesters, who first opened fire and who have continued to engage in confrontational acts designed to provoke a reaction, including calling the protesters “cockroaches” and banging their shields as they move forwards in formation. This strategy has simply produced a spiral of action-and-reaction, descending into acts of revenge and retaliation on both sides. Tear gas tales But it is the police who have the weaponry. It is their tear gas, pepper spray, water cannons, rubber bullets and firearms which have posed the greater threat to life and limb. And it’s not only the groups of violent protesters who are affected. Verifiable footage, witness statements by lawyers, first aiders and Amnesty all testify to the police strong-arming of by-standers, spraying tear gas directly into the face of anyone who gets in their way. The gas has also been sprayed in such volume that it has seeped into buses, the underground, and shops, afflicting one reporter with chloracne, a known effect of direct exposure to the dioxins used in tear gas. Face masks – commonly used to stifle the spread of germs during the flu season – are now being worn by some families inside their own homes because tear gas has been fired into their buildings. Live television and Twitter streams footage of the police abusing citizens into their living rooms. Children, fathers, mothers and grandparents now have their own stories of daily, small-scale but deeply serious violations by the police. They have watched live video of the police spraying tear gas and pepper spray in enclosed spaces, directly into a person’s face at close quarters, and at very young children running along the street. They have heard police officers swearing at those they deem protesters, threatening them with batons and firearms, and – on occasion – talking between themselves in Mandarin, the language of the mainland, rather than the Cantonese spoken in Hong Kong. Whether it be from the top deck of their bus, on the streets or in their living rooms, Hong Kongers have witnessed water cannon laced with blue die and chemicals spraying water indiscriminately along the streets, and even into the entrance of a well-known mosque. It’s precisely because police malpractice is so flagrant and unchecked that ordinary people in football stadiums, sports centres and shopping malls can now be heard booing the Chinese National Anthem, cursing the police, and filing out of their downtown city offices to show their support for the protesters. When a police spokesman spoke on November 12 of the breakdown of the rule of law, it was not, therefore, on the protesters that the public first placed the blame. Losing legitimacy Since the 1997 handover, Hong Kong has been badly governed by a succession of weak leaders, but it retains its common law system, under which no one, including the police, is above the law. In common with police forces around the world, the Hong Kong Police receive special training in public order policing which should equip them to handle riot situations appropriately. Internal police guidelines also regulate the use of force in public order policing. It’s the existence of these regulations and legal restraints which, though imperfect, have until now led Hong Kongers to accept the police force as the only institution which can legitimately employ coercive means against the citizen. But the visible lack of restraint exercised by the police in recent days has undermined this legitimacy. The fact that being captured on film has had no restraining effect whatsoever has convinced many members of the public that the police must have been given some assurance of immunity. Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s chief executive, has repeatedly stated her support for the police and refused outright to criticise their misconduct. An independent panel of experts said in mid-November that the existing mechanisms of police accountability were incapable of conducting a proper investigation, but so far the government has not responded to its recommendations. It is this idea that the state actively sanctions police violence that has cemented the belief that the Hong Kong government stands against the people. Only the state can alter that. The restoration of law and order demanded by Beijing can only be achieved by reining in the police, not by further state violence. That is likely to transform the 2 million peaceful protesters of June into millions more protesters, coming to the aid of those on the frontline, fighting for their way of life. Strong-arm policing is not so much a sign of authoritarianism, as it is a symptom of a failed state. (Carol Anne Goodwin Jones is Reader, Birmingham Law School, University of Birmingham) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Hong Kong: Police legitimacy draining away amid spiral of rage and retaliation

Chinese army troops were deployed in Hong Kong for the first time since protests began.

China army in Hong Kong for first time since protests began

A police officer was struck by an arrow fired by a Hong Kong protester on Sunday and an armoured vehicle set ablaze, as fierce clashes raged into the night around a campus which has turned into a base for a pro-democracy movement whose protests have plunged the city into turmoil.

Protests have tremored through the global financial hub since June with many in the city of 7.5 million people venting fury at eroding freedoms under Chinese rule.

China has repeatedly warned that it will not tolerate the dissent, and there have been concerns that Beijing could send in troops to put an end to the unrest.

Chinese President Xi Jinping this week issued his most strident comments on the crisis, saying it threatened the "one country, two systems" model under which Hong Kong has been ruled since the 1997 handover from Britain.

On Sunday activists dug in at Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) vowing to defend it from police and to maintain a blockade on the nearby Cross Harbour Tunnel, which has been closed for several days.

As dusk fell, police tried to retake a footbridge over the tunnel but were met by a barrage of petrol bombs that caused a huge fire.

Later an armoured vehicle edged towards protesters encamped on a flyover near the university, who met it with a flurry of petrol bombs setting the vehicle alight, according to a live-streamed video of the incident shown by several local media.

The driver was forced to retreat and the fire was extinguished as protesters appeared resolute in their desire to turn the campus into a hub -- a twist in tactics by a leaderless movement so far defined by its fluid, unpredictable nature.

"We need a base to keep our gear and have some rest at night before another fight in the morning," said a 23-year-old PolyU student called Kason.

Earlier, activists parried attempts by police to break through into the PolyU campus, firing rocks from a homemade catapult from the university roof.

An AFP reporter saw a team of masked archers -- several carrying sports bows -- patrolling the campus.

Police shared images of an arrow embedded in the calf of an officer outside the campus and decried the use of "lethal weapons," declaring the campus a "riot scene" -- a rioting conviction carries up to 10 years in jail.

Activists have vowed to wreak further havoc on Monday, in a follow-up to a week of chaos which left city streets strewn with debris and saw white-collar workers take to the streets in support of the frontline protesters.

'Squeeze the economy'

Demonstrators last week engineered a "Blossom Everywhere" campaign of blockades and vandalism, which forced the police to draft in prison officers, shut down large chunks of Hong Kong's train network and closed schools and shopping malls.

The movement, characterised by its fluidity and unpredictability, has started to coagulate in fixed locations, showing their ability to switch tactics.

The protests started against a now shelved bill to allow extradition to China but have billowed to encompass wider issues such as perceived police brutality and calls for universal suffrage in the former British colony.

Two people have died this month as the violence worsened, while the financial hub has been pushed into a recession by the turmoil.

Hong Kong's airport authority on Sunday said October traffic figures were down 13 per cent on last year with 5.4 million passengers as the economy takes a battering.

A poster circulating on social media called for the "dawn action" to continue on Monday.&nbsp;

"Get up early, directly target the regime, squeeze the economy to increase pressure," it said.

The education bureau said schools will remain closed again on Monday.

Divided city

Earlier on Sunday, dozens of pro-government supporters gathered to clear barricades near the university campus -- a sign of the divisions slicing through the city.

Many residents are wearied by the sapping protests. Others support the Chinese-backed city government.

Some applauded a Saturday cameo in a clean-up by Chinese troops from a garrison of the People's Liberation Army in Kowloon, who burst from the barracks in a rare and highly symbolic appearance on Hong Kong's streets.

The garrison is usually confined to the barracks under Hong Kong's mini-constitution, although it can be deployed under the request of the city's government to help with public order breakdown or natural disasters.

Hong Kong government, which presides over a city that enjoys greater freedoms than the mainland, said it did not ask the PLA for help on Saturday.

The choreographed troop movement "has only compounded the impression that Beijing has simply ignored" Hong Kong's unique political system, said analyst Dixon Sing. 
&nbsp;

A police officer was struck by an arrow fired by a Hong Kong protester on Sunday and an armoured vehicle set ablaze, as fierce clashes raged into the night around a campus which has turned into a base for a pro-democracy movement whose protests have plunged the city into turmoil.

A police officer was struck by an arrow fired by a Hong Kong protester on Sunday and an armoured vehicle set ablaze, as fierce clashes raged into the night around a campus which has turned into a base for a pro-democracy movement whose protests have plunged the city into turmoil. Protests have tremored through the global financial hub since June with many in the city of 7.5 million people venting fury at eroding freedoms under Chinese rule. China has repeatedly warned that it will not tolerate the dissent, and there have been concerns that Beijing could send in troops to put an end to the unrest. Chinese President Xi Jinping this week issued his most strident comments on the crisis, saying it threatened the "one country, two systems" model under which Hong Kong has been ruled since the 1997 handover from Britain. On Sunday activists dug in at Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) vowing to defend it from police and to maintain a blockade on the nearby Cross Harbour Tunnel, which has been closed for several days. As dusk fell, police tried to retake a footbridge over the tunnel but were met by a barrage of petrol bombs that caused a huge fire. Later an armoured vehicle edged towards protesters encamped on a flyover near the university, who met it with a flurry of petrol bombs setting the vehicle alight, according to a live-streamed video of the incident shown by several local media. The driver was forced to retreat and the fire was extinguished as protesters appeared resolute in their desire to turn the campus into a hub -- a twist in tactics by a leaderless movement so far defined by its fluid, unpredictable nature. "We need a base to keep our gear and have some rest at night before another fight in the morning," said a 23-year-old PolyU student called Kason. Earlier, activists parried attempts by police to break through into the PolyU campus, firing rocks from a homemade catapult from the university roof. An AFP reporter saw a team of masked archers -- several carrying sports bows -- patrolling the campus. Police shared images of an arrow embedded in the calf of an officer outside the campus and decried the use of "lethal weapons," declaring the campus a "riot scene" -- a rioting conviction carries up to 10 years in jail. Activists have vowed to wreak further havoc on Monday, in a follow-up to a week of chaos which left city streets strewn with debris and saw white-collar workers take to the streets in support of the frontline protesters. 'Squeeze the economy' Demonstrators last week engineered a "Blossom Everywhere" campaign of blockades and vandalism, which forced the police to draft in prison officers, shut down large chunks of Hong Kong's train network and closed schools and shopping malls. The movement, characterised by its fluidity and unpredictability, has started to coagulate in fixed locations, showing their ability to switch tactics. The protests started against a now shelved bill to allow extradition to China but have billowed to encompass wider issues such as perceived police brutality and calls for universal suffrage in the former British colony. Two people have died this month as the violence worsened, while the financial hub has been pushed into a recession by the turmoil. Hong Kong's airport authority on Sunday said October traffic figures were down 13 per cent on last year with 5.4 million passengers as the economy takes a battering. A poster circulating on social media called for the "dawn action" to continue on Monday. "Get up early, directly target the regime, squeeze the economy to increase pressure," it said. The education bureau said schools will remain closed again on Monday. Divided city Earlier on Sunday, dozens of pro-government supporters gathered to clear barricades near the university campus -- a sign of the divisions slicing through the city. Many residents are wearied by the sapping protests. Others support the Chinese-backed city government. Some applauded a Saturday cameo in a clean-up by Chinese troops from a garrison of the People's Liberation Army in Kowloon, who burst from the barracks in a rare and highly symbolic appearance on Hong Kong's streets. The garrison is usually confined to the barracks under Hong Kong's mini-constitution, although it can be deployed under the request of the city's government to help with public order breakdown or natural disasters. Hong Kong government, which presides over a city that enjoys greater freedoms than the mainland, said it did not ask the PLA for help on Saturday. The choreographed troop movement "has only compounded the impression that Beijing has simply ignored" Hong Kong's unique political system, said analyst Dixon Sing.

Hong Kong protest: Armoured vehicle set ablaze as fierce clashes continue

A clean-up began across <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-medics-join-anti-government-protests-to-resist-tyranny-258280">Hong Kong</a> Saturday with pro-government groups removing bricks and debris from roads after a week of widespread disruption and violence as pro-democracy protesters changed tactics to sink the city deeper into chaos.

Their "Blossom Everywhere" campaign of roadblocks, vandalism and protest across the semi-autonomous financial hub shut down large chunks of the train network, forced schools and shopping malls to close and stretched police resources.

The tactic blocked major intersections and highways with barricades made from bricks, furniture, bins and steel barriers, while university campuses became bases for stockpiling petrol bombs and supplies.

On Saturday, hundreds of government supporters began knocking down improvised walls concreted into the road by pro-democracy protesters, whose demonstrations have rocked Hong Kong for more than five months.

As the afternoon wore on, scores of broad-shouldered men with crew-cuts and wearing identical gym kits emerged from the barracks of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in Kowloon in ranks, swiftly removing bricks from the road and scooping up debris.

It was not immediately clear who the men were but they jogged back to the garrison after a lightning-quick organised clean.

Chinese soldiers from the Hong Kong garrison are rarely seen outside -- especially on the street information -- and any deployment is likely to heat up tensions in the city.

China, which regained control of Hong Kong from the British in 1997, has ramped upped its rhetoric against the protesters, with President Xi Jinping this week warning the protests threatened the "once country, two systems" model under which it is governed.

Protesters accuse China of chipping away at the unique freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong compared with the rest of the mainland and fear a military response from Beijing as the unrest deepens.

Hong Kong is a city divided.

Comments on a Facebook feed of the clean-up reflected that schism, with some applauding the effort by the men based in the garrison and others calling any PLA deployment "unconstitutional" under the handover agreement.

Next moves

Arguments and scuffles also broke out on Saturday between pro-government and pro-democracy activists still occupying parts of a university campus.

Elsewhere at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in Kowloon, student protesters also began clearing rubbish but insisted they wanted to maintain the occupation of the campus and keep control of one of the major tunnels to Hong Kong Island.

The Cross-Harbour tunnel has been closed since Tuesday, its toll booths torched and piles of rubble laid across the road.

"We are here for the long term," a 20-year-old student who identified himself only as E said.

"We want to do our part and come back to help clean up while it's not so tense today."

A 21-year-old student who identified herself as Mario said they intended to continue the strike next week.&nbsp;

"That's how I feel, but I have to emphasise that in this movement everyone is an individual, there's no way to ensure that everyone's thinking the same thing."

Students and protesters this week occupied several major universities around the city -- the first time a movement characterised by its fluidity and unpredictability has coagulated in fixed locations -- although numbers had dwindled by Saturday.

Earlier on Saturday morning a group of around 500 people, mostly middle-aged and senior citizens, rallied outside the Hong Kong government's headquarters to show support for the police, who have been heavily criticised over their handling of the crisis.

Waving Chinese national flags and posters, they chanted slogans including "support police to enforce law solemnly" and "Hong Kong cockroaches, trash of our times" -- mocking one of the democracy movement's major slogans, "reclaim Hong Kong, the revolution of our times".

The demonstrators took photos with the stationed riot police and gave them thumbs-up signs.

The Hong Kong government, however, warned its employees they will be suspended if they are caught taking part in protests.

According to the Hong Kong government, the civil service employs around 175,000 people, which is about 4.4 per cent of the city's workforce.

China, UK tension

Protests have swept Hong Kong since June as many in the city of 7.5 million people have vented fury at eroding freedoms under Chinese rule.

Violence has escalated, and tensions have spread overseas, sparking friction between China and Britain, which governed Hong Kong until 1997.

Hong Kong Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng fell in London Thursday after being surrounded by pro-democracy protesters.&nbsp;

Cheng walked away without signs of injury, but Beijing slammed the incident as an "appalling attack" and accused Britain of fuelling the protest movement.

A clean-up began across Hong Kong Saturday with pro-government groups removing bricks and debris from roads after a week of widespread disruption and violence as pro-democracy protesters changed tactics to sink the city deeper into chaos.

A clean-up began across Hong Kong Saturday with pro-government groups removing bricks and debris from roads after a week of widespread disruption and violence as pro-democracy protesters changed tactics to sink the city deeper into chaos. Their "Blossom Everywhere" campaign of roadblocks, vandalism and protest across the semi-autonomous financial hub shut down large chunks of the train network, forced schools and shopping malls to close and stretched police resources. The tactic blocked major intersections and highways with barricades made from bricks, furniture, bins and steel barriers, while university campuses became bases for stockpiling petrol bombs and supplies. On Saturday, hundreds of government supporters began knocking down improvised walls concreted into the road by pro-democracy protesters, whose demonstrations have rocked Hong Kong for more than five months. As the afternoon wore on, scores of broad-shouldered men with crew-cuts and wearing identical gym kits emerged from the barracks of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in Kowloon in ranks, swiftly removing bricks from the road and scooping up debris. It was not immediately clear who the men were but they jogged back to the garrison after a lightning-quick organised clean. Chinese soldiers from the Hong Kong garrison are rarely seen outside -- especially on the street information -- and any deployment is likely to heat up tensions in the city. China, which regained control of Hong Kong from the British in 1997, has ramped upped its rhetoric against the protesters, with President Xi Jinping this week warning the protests threatened the "once country, two systems" model under which it is governed. Protesters accuse China of chipping away at the unique freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong compared with the rest of the mainland and fear a military response from Beijing as the unrest deepens. Hong Kong is a city divided. Comments on a Facebook feed of the clean-up reflected that schism, with some applauding the effort by the men based in the garrison and others calling any PLA deployment "unconstitutional" under the handover agreement. Next moves Arguments and scuffles also broke out on Saturday between pro-government and pro-democracy activists still occupying parts of a university campus. Elsewhere at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in Kowloon, student protesters also began clearing rubbish but insisted they wanted to maintain the occupation of the campus and keep control of one of the major tunnels to Hong Kong Island. The Cross-Harbour tunnel has been closed since Tuesday, its toll booths torched and piles of rubble laid across the road. "We are here for the long term," a 20-year-old student who identified himself only as E said. "We want to do our part and come back to help clean up while it's not so tense today." A 21-year-old student who identified herself as Mario said they intended to continue the strike next week. "That's how I feel, but I have to emphasise that in this movement everyone is an individual, there's no way to ensure that everyone's thinking the same thing." Students and protesters this week occupied several major universities around the city -- the first time a movement characterised by its fluidity and unpredictability has coagulated in fixed locations -- although numbers had dwindled by Saturday. Earlier on Saturday morning a group of around 500 people, mostly middle-aged and senior citizens, rallied outside the Hong Kong government's headquarters to show support for the police, who have been heavily criticised over their handling of the crisis. Waving Chinese national flags and posters, they chanted slogans including "support police to enforce law solemnly" and "Hong Kong cockroaches, trash of our times" -- mocking one of the democracy movement's major slogans, "reclaim Hong Kong, the revolution of our times". The demonstrators took photos with the stationed riot police and gave them thumbs-up signs. The Hong Kong government, however, warned its employees they will be suspended if they are caught taking part in protests. According to the Hong Kong government, the civil service employs around 175,000 people, which is about 4.4 per cent of the city's workforce. China, UK tension Protests have swept Hong Kong since June as many in the city of 7.5 million people have vented fury at eroding freedoms under Chinese rule. Violence has escalated, and tensions have spread overseas, sparking friction between China and Britain, which governed Hong Kong until 1997. Hong Kong Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng fell in London Thursday after being surrounded by pro-democracy protesters. Cheng walked away without signs of injury, but Beijing slammed the incident as an "appalling attack" and accused Britain of fuelling the protest movement.

Clean-up begins in Hong Kong after week of chaos and destruction

Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters partially unblocked a key highway on Friday and then blocked it again during the evening rush hour, exposing splits in a movement that has been largely leaderless in months of often violent unrest.

The Tolo highway runs along the side of the leafy campus of Chinese University. Protesters blocked it this week and clashed with police, throwing debris and petrol bombs on to the road linking the largely rural New Territories with the Kowloon peninsula to the south.

They turned the campus into a fortress, stockpiled with petrol bombs and bows and arrows as in several other universities, amid some of the worst violence in the former British colony in decades.

But many left after some of them allowed the partial reopening of the highway on Friday, taking others by surprise.

"I am disappointed about the decision to reopen the Tolo highway and it’s not our consensus," one student who gave his name as Cheung, 18, told Reuters.

"I was asleep when they had closed-door meetings. I was worried and scared after I realised what had happened and most protesters had left. I was worried the police might storm in again because so few people are left. Some protesters from the outside have gone too far.”

Chinese University president Rocky Tuan said in an open letter that all outsiders must leave.

"Universities are places to study, not to resolve political disputes, or even a battlefield to create weapons and use force," he said.

"If the university cannot continue to fulfil its basic mission and tasks, we must seek the assistance of relevant government departments to lift the current crisis."

The highway closed again on Friday evening after its partial reopening and the Cross-Harbour Tunnel, outside the barricaded Polytechnic University where protesters have practised firing bows and arrows and throwing petrol bombs in a half-empty swimming pool, remained shut.

Students and protesters, who have barricaded at least five campuses, were burning makeshift roadblocks at Chinese University.

Remaining Chinese University students hunkered down on the bridge over the Tolo highway, black pirate-style freedom flags flying from lookout posts. A few on ladders with binoculars kept watch over the road.

There were only about 200 protesters there on Friday compared to at least 1,000 two days ago. There were also clashes with police in the Kowloon district of Mong Kok, one of the most densely populated areas on Earth.

The week has seen a marked intensification of the violence.

A 70-year-old street cleaner, who had been hit in the head by one of several bricks police said had been thrown by "masked rioters", died on Thursday. On Monday, police blamed a "rioter" for dousing a man in petrol and setting him on fire. The victim is in critical condition.

On the same day, police shot a protester in the abdomen. He is in stable condition.

"We can no longer can say Hong Kong is a safe city," Chief Secretary for Administration Matthew Cheung told a briefing.

Protesters are angry at perceived Chinese meddling in the city since it returned to Beijing rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula guaranteeing its colonial-era freedoms.

China denies interfering and has blamed Western countries for stirring up trouble.

Police have kept their distance from the campuses for more than two days, saying both sides should cool off, but many observers are afraid of what will happen if and when they move in.

London altercation

China and Hong Kong both condemned an attack in London on Thursday by a "violent mob" on Hong Kong's justice secretary, the first direct altercation between demonstrators and a government minister.

Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng, who was in London to promote Hong Kong as a "dispute resolution and deal-making hub", was targeted by a group of protesters who shouted "murderer" and "shameful".

The Hong Kong government said Cheng suffered "serious bodily harm" but gave no details. The Chinese Embassy in Britain said Cheng was "besieged and attacked by dozens of anti-China and pro-independence activists".

The British police said a woman had been taken to hospital with an injury to her arm and that they were investigating but no arrests had been made.

The unrest poses the gravest popular challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012. Xi said in Brazil on Thursday stopping violence was the most urgent task for Hong Kong.

The demonstrations have battered the retail and tourism sectors, with widespread disruptions across the financial centre and no end in sight to the violence and vandalism.

Hong Kong sank into recession for the first time in a decade in the third quarter, government data confirmed on Friday, with its economy shrinking by 3.2% from the previous quarter on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Video footage obtained by Reuters of the Chinese People's Liberation Army garrison headquarters near Hong Kong's Central business district showed more than a dozen troops conducting what appeared to be anti-riot drills against people pretending to be protesters carrying black umbrellas.

The PLA has stayed in the barracks since 1997 but China has warned that any attempt at independence will be crushed.

Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters partially unblocked a key highway on Friday and then blocked it again during the evening rush hour, exposing splits in a movement that has been largely leaderless in months of often violent unrest.

Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters partially unblocked a key highway on Friday and then blocked it again during the evening rush hour, exposing splits in a movement that has been largely leaderless in months of often violent unrest. The Tolo highway runs along the side of the leafy campus of Chinese University. Protesters blocked it this week and clashed with police, throwing debris and petrol bombs on to the road linking the largely rural New Territories with the Kowloon peninsula to the south. They turned the campus into a fortress, stockpiled with petrol bombs and bows and arrows as in several other universities, amid some of the worst violence in the former British colony in decades. But many left after some of them allowed the partial reopening of the highway on Friday, taking others by surprise. "I am disappointed about the decision to reopen the Tolo highway and it’s not our consensus," one student who gave his name as Cheung, 18, told Reuters. "I was asleep when they had closed-door meetings. I was worried and scared after I realised what had happened and most protesters had left. I was worried the police might storm in again because so few people are left. Some protesters from the outside have gone too far.” Chinese University president Rocky Tuan said in an open letter that all outsiders must leave. "Universities are places to study, not to resolve political disputes, or even a battlefield to create weapons and use force," he said. "If the university cannot continue to fulfil its basic mission and tasks, we must seek the assistance of relevant government departments to lift the current crisis." The highway closed again on Friday evening after its partial reopening and the Cross-Harbour Tunnel, outside the barricaded Polytechnic University where protesters have practised firing bows and arrows and throwing petrol bombs in a half-empty swimming pool, remained shut. Students and protesters, who have barricaded at least five campuses, were burning makeshift roadblocks at Chinese University. Remaining Chinese University students hunkered down on the bridge over the Tolo highway, black pirate-style freedom flags flying from lookout posts. A few on ladders with binoculars kept watch over the road. There were only about 200 protesters there on Friday compared to at least 1,000 two days ago. There were also clashes with police in the Kowloon district of Mong Kok, one of the most densely populated areas on Earth. The week has seen a marked intensification of the violence. A 70-year-old street cleaner, who had been hit in the head by one of several bricks police said had been thrown by "masked rioters", died on Thursday. On Monday, police blamed a "rioter" for dousing a man in petrol and setting him on fire. The victim is in critical condition. On the same day, police shot a protester in the abdomen. He is in stable condition. "We can no longer can say Hong Kong is a safe city," Chief Secretary for Administration Matthew Cheung told a briefing. Protesters are angry at perceived Chinese meddling in the city since it returned to Beijing rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula guaranteeing its colonial-era freedoms. China denies interfering and has blamed Western countries for stirring up trouble. Police have kept their distance from the campuses for more than two days, saying both sides should cool off, but many observers are afraid of what will happen if and when they move in. London altercation China and Hong Kong both condemned an attack in London on Thursday by a "violent mob" on Hong Kong's justice secretary, the first direct altercation between demonstrators and a government minister. Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng, who was in London to promote Hong Kong as a "dispute resolution and deal-making hub", was targeted by a group of protesters who shouted "murderer" and "shameful". The Hong Kong government said Cheng suffered "serious bodily harm" but gave no details. The Chinese Embassy in Britain said Cheng was "besieged and attacked by dozens of anti-China and pro-independence activists". The British police said a woman had been taken to hospital with an injury to her arm and that they were investigating but no arrests had been made. The unrest poses the gravest popular challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012. Xi said in Brazil on Thursday stopping violence was the most urgent task for Hong Kong. The demonstrations have battered the retail and tourism sectors, with widespread disruptions across the financial centre and no end in sight to the violence and vandalism. Hong Kong sank into recession for the first time in a decade in the third quarter, government data confirmed on Friday, with its economy shrinking by 3.2% from the previous quarter on a seasonally adjusted basis. Video footage obtained by Reuters of the Chinese People's Liberation Army garrison headquarters near Hong Kong's Central business district showed more than a dozen troops conducting what appeared to be anti-riot drills against people pretending to be protesters carrying black umbrellas. The PLA has stayed in the barracks since 1997 but China has warned that any attempt at independence will be crushed.

Highway blockade reveals splits in Hong Kong protest movement

China's British embassy expressed dismay over the attack on a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-condemns-london-attack-on-justice-secretary-as-protests-continue-262184">Hong Kong government official</a> in London on Friday.

Hong Kong's Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng suffered ''serious bodily harm'' after an altercation with the protesters in London, who displayed solidarity with the activists back home. This marked the first direct altercation between demonstrators and a government minister during months of often violent protests. Video footage of the incident showed Cheng falling to the ground. 
&nbsp; 
According to a statement, the Chinese embassy urged the local police to launch an investigation into the incident and to further protect Hong Kong officials in the United Kingdom.

On Friday, the Hong Kong office of China's Foreign Ministry claimed to have expressed their concerns to the British consulate.

Earlier today, the Hong Kong government also condemned the attack on the justice secretary in London by referring to the protesters as a ''violent mob''.&nbsp;

Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng was in London to discuss dispute resolutions, but was targeted by protesters who shouted "murderer" and "shameful".

Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam said in a statement she strongly condemned what she described as an attack on Cheng.

The Hong Kong government said in a separate statement: "The secretary denounces all forms of violence and radicalism depriving others' legitimate rights in the pretext of pursuing their political ideals, which would never be in the interest of Hong Kong and any civilised society."

The incident came amid escalating violence in Chinese-ruled Hong Kong, where a student protester died earlier this month after falling from a parking lot during demonstrations.

Anti-government protesters paralysed parts of Hong Kong for a fifth day on Friday, forcing schools to close and blocking some highways as students built barricades in university campuses and authorities struggled to tame the violence.

Protesters used barriers and other debris to block the Cross-Harbour Tunnel that links Hong Kong island to Kowloon district, leading to severe traffic congestion. The government once again urged employers to adopt flexible working arrangements amid the chaos.

Thousands of students remain hunkered down at several universities, surrounded by piles of food, bricks, petrol bombs, catapults and other homemade weapons.

Police said the prestigious Chinese University had "become a manufacturing base for petrol bombs" and the students' actions were "another step closer to terrorism".

Around 4,000 people, aged between 12 and 83, have been arrested since the unrest escalated in June.

The demonstrations have paralysed parts of the city and battered the retail and tourism sectors, with widespread disruptions across the financial centre and no end in sight to the violence and vandalism.

(With inputs from Reuters)&nbsp;

China's British embassy expressed dismay over the attack on a Hong Kong government official in London on Friday. Hong Kong's Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng suffered ''serious bodily harm'' after an altercation with the protesters in London, who displayed solidarity with the activists back home.

China's British embassy expressed dismay over the attack on a Hong Kong government official in London on Friday. Hong Kong's Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng suffered ''serious bodily harm'' after an altercation with the protesters in London, who displayed solidarity with the activists back home. This marked the first direct altercation between demonstrators and a government minister during months of often violent protests. Video footage of the incident showed Cheng falling to the ground. According to a statement, the Chinese embassy urged the local police to launch an investigation into the incident and to further protect Hong Kong officials in the United Kingdom. On Friday, the Hong Kong office of China's Foreign Ministry claimed to have expressed their concerns to the British consulate. Earlier today, the Hong Kong government also condemned the attack on the justice secretary in London by referring to the protesters as a ''violent mob''. Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng was in London to discuss dispute resolutions, but was targeted by protesters who shouted "murderer" and "shameful". Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam said in a statement she strongly condemned what she described as an attack on Cheng. The Hong Kong government said in a separate statement: "The secretary denounces all forms of violence and radicalism depriving others' legitimate rights in the pretext of pursuing their political ideals, which would never be in the interest of Hong Kong and any civilised society." The incident came amid escalating violence in Chinese-ruled Hong Kong, where a student protester died earlier this month after falling from a parking lot during demonstrations. Anti-government protesters paralysed parts of Hong Kong for a fifth day on Friday, forcing schools to close and blocking some highways as students built barricades in university campuses and authorities struggled to tame the violence. Protesters used barriers and other debris to block the Cross-Harbour Tunnel that links Hong Kong island to Kowloon district, leading to severe traffic congestion. The government once again urged employers to adopt flexible working arrangements amid the chaos. Thousands of students remain hunkered down at several universities, surrounded by piles of food, bricks, petrol bombs, catapults and other homemade weapons. Police said the prestigious Chinese University had "become a manufacturing base for petrol bombs" and the students' actions were "another step closer to terrorism". Around 4,000 people, aged between 12 and 83, have been arrested since the unrest escalated in June. The demonstrations have paralysed parts of the city and battered the retail and tourism sectors, with widespread disruptions across the financial centre and no end in sight to the violence and vandalism. (With inputs from Reuters)

China condemns attack on Hong Kong official in London, asks local police to continue investigation

Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters paralysed parts of the city for a fourth consecutive day on Thursday, blocking highways and forcing schools to close as students built campus barricades at Hong Kong's Polytechnic University, while the government dismissed rumours of a curfew.

Pro-democracy protesters paralysed parts of Hong Kong, week of violence on Hong Kong campuses

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-violence-threatens-one-country-two-systems-xi-jinping-262146">The Hong Kong government</a> condemned on Friday an attack by a "violent mob" on the city's justice secretary in London, the first direct altercation between demonstrators and a government minister during months of often violent protests.

Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng, who was in London to promote Hong Kong as a dispute resolution and deal-making hub, was targeted by a group of protesters who shouted "murderer" and "shameful".

A statement by the Hong Kong government said Cheng suffered "serious bodily harm" but gave no details. Video footage of the incident showed Cheng falling to the ground.

Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam said in a statement she strongly condemned what she described as an attack on Cheng.

"The secretary denounces all forms of violence and radicalism depriving others' legitimate rights in the pretext of pursuing their political ideals, which would never be in the interest of Hong Kong and any civilised society," the Hong Kong government said in a separate statement.

The attack came amid escalating violence in Chinese-ruled Hong Kong, where a student protester died earlier this month after falling from a parking lot during demonstrations.

A 70-year-old street cleaner, who videos on social media showed had been hit in the head by a brick thrown by "masked rioters", died on Thursday, authorities said.

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department expressed profound sadness on Friday at the death of its cleaning worker and said it was providing assistance to his family.

Anti-government protesters paralysed parts of Hong Kong for a fifth day on Friday, forcing schools to close and blocking some highways as students built barricades in university campuses and authorities struggled to tame the violence.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-students-arm-themselves-for-showdown-amid-talk-of-curfew-262065">The protests escalated in June over a now-scrapped extradition bill</a> that would have allowed people to be sent to mainland China for trial. They have since evolved into calls for greater democracy, among other demands.

Cheng, embattled Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam's chief legal adviser, played a key role in pushing forward the proposed extradition bill that ignited the protests.

The months-long protests have plunged the former British colony into its biggest political crisis in decades and pose the gravest popular challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012.

Hong Kong is also expected to confirm on Friday it has fallen into recession for the first time in a decade amid concerns the economy could be in even worse shape than feared as the anti-government protests take a heavy toll.

Alibaba Group Chairman Daniel Zhang, however, said Hong Kong's future is "bright" as the e-commerce giant kicked off a retail campaign for its secondary listing in the city.

The Hong Kong government condemned on Friday an attack by a "violent mob" on the city's justice secretary in London, the first direct altercation between demonstrators and a government minister during months of often violent protests.

The Hong Kong government condemned on Friday an attack by a "violent mob" on the city's justice secretary in London, the first direct altercation between demonstrators and a government minister during months of often violent protests. Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng, who was in London to promote Hong Kong as a dispute resolution and deal-making hub, was targeted by a group of protesters who shouted "murderer" and "shameful". A statement by the Hong Kong government said Cheng suffered "serious bodily harm" but gave no details. Video footage of the incident showed Cheng falling to the ground. Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam said in a statement she strongly condemned what she described as an attack on Cheng. "The secretary denounces all forms of violence and radicalism depriving others' legitimate rights in the pretext of pursuing their political ideals, which would never be in the interest of Hong Kong and any civilised society," the Hong Kong government said in a separate statement. The attack came amid escalating violence in Chinese-ruled Hong Kong, where a student protester died earlier this month after falling from a parking lot during demonstrations. A 70-year-old street cleaner, who videos on social media showed had been hit in the head by a brick thrown by "masked rioters", died on Thursday, authorities said. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department expressed profound sadness on Friday at the death of its cleaning worker and said it was providing assistance to his family. Anti-government protesters paralysed parts of Hong Kong for a fifth day on Friday, forcing schools to close and blocking some highways as students built barricades in university campuses and authorities struggled to tame the violence. The protests escalated in June over a now-scrapped extradition bill that would have allowed people to be sent to mainland China for trial. They have since evolved into calls for greater democracy, among other demands. Cheng, embattled Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam's chief legal adviser, played a key role in pushing forward the proposed extradition bill that ignited the protests. The months-long protests have plunged the former British colony into its biggest political crisis in decades and pose the gravest popular challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012. Hong Kong is also expected to confirm on Friday it has fallen into recession for the first time in a decade amid concerns the economy could be in even worse shape than feared as the anti-government protests take a heavy toll. Alibaba Group Chairman Daniel Zhang, however, said Hong Kong's future is "bright" as the e-commerce giant kicked off a retail campaign for its secondary listing in the city.

Hong Kong condemns London 'attack' on justice secretary as protests continue

In Hong Kong Protests, 228 days of protests and still counting, Anti-Government turns violent. Watch this video to know more.

Hong Kong Protests: 228 days of protests and still counting, Anti-Government turns violent

Police in London on Friday said they were investigating an assault after a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-condemns-attack-on-hong-kong-official-in-london-asks-local-police-to-continue-investigation-262218">Hong Kong minister fell</a> to the ground as she was jostled by demonstrators.

Justice secretary Teresa Cheng had been due to give a lecture at the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) in Bloomsbury Square, central London, on Thursday evening.

But the CIArb said the event was cancelled because "whilst entering the building (Cheng) was assaulted by a crowd". It added: "As a result she sustained an injury to her arm."

Video of the incident circulating on social media shows Cheng being surrounded by jeering pro-democracy protesters, who followed her through the streets near the CIArb headquarters.

She fell to the ground and was then escorted away.&nbsp;

China called the incident an "appalling attack" and urged London to provide better security.

The CIArb said it was "committed to peacefully resolving conflict and deplores the use of violence, particularly to a guest to the United Kingdom".

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement a probe was "ongoing to establish the full circumstances" of the incident, adding no arrests had been so made far.

"A woman was taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service suffering an injury to her arm," it added without confirming Cheng's identity.&nbsp;

Hong Kong has seen <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/protesters-block-central-hong-kong-streets-as-chaos-grips-city-261782">relentless protests</a> since June as many in the city of 7.5 million people have vented fury at eroding freedoms under Chinese rule.

Cheng is in London on a visit to promote its role as a dispute resolution and deal-making hub.

She is one of the most unpopular government officials in Hong Kong, seen as playing a key role in pushing forward the now-shelved extradition bill to China, which sparked the months of unrest there.&nbsp;

Police in London on Friday said they were investigating an assault after a Hong Kong minister fell to the ground as she was jostled by demonstrators. Justice secretary Teresa Cheng had been due to give a lecture at the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) in Bloomsbury Square, central London, on Thursday evening.

Police in London on Friday said they were investigating an assault after a Hong Kong minister fell to the ground as she was jostled by demonstrators. Justice secretary Teresa Cheng had been due to give a lecture at the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) in Bloomsbury Square, central London, on Thursday evening. But the CIArb said the event was cancelled because "whilst entering the building (Cheng) was assaulted by a crowd". It added: "As a result she sustained an injury to her arm." Video of the incident circulating on social media shows Cheng being surrounded by jeering pro-democracy protesters, who followed her through the streets near the CIArb headquarters. She fell to the ground and was then escorted away. China called the incident an "appalling attack" and urged London to provide better security. The CIArb said it was "committed to peacefully resolving conflict and deplores the use of violence, particularly to a guest to the United Kingdom". The Metropolitan Police said in a statement a probe was "ongoing to establish the full circumstances" of the incident, adding no arrests had been so made far. "A woman was taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service suffering an injury to her arm," it added without confirming Cheng's identity. Hong Kong has seen relentless protests since June as many in the city of 7.5 million people have vented fury at eroding freedoms under Chinese rule. Cheng is in London on a visit to promote its role as a dispute resolution and deal-making hub. She is one of the most unpopular government officials in Hong Kong, seen as playing a key role in pushing forward the now-shelved extradition bill to China, which sparked the months of unrest there.

London police launch assault probe after Hong Kong minister injured

The president of Hong Kong's Chinese University, which <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/hong-kong-third-quarter-gdp-shrinks-32-confirms-depth-of-recession-262320">anti-government protesters </a>have turned into a fortress stockpiled with petrol bombs and bows and arrows, threatened on Friday to call in "assistance" unless all non-students leave.

The hilly campus was the scene of violent clashes this week, with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-in-hong-kong-defy-chinas-xi-with-pro-democracy-rallies-262298">pro-democracy protesters hurling petrol bombs</a> at police and on to a highway linking the largely rural New Territories with the Kowloon peninsula to the south and Hong Kong island beyond.

The Tolo highway has been partially reopened, but the Cross-Harbour Tunnel, outside the barricaded Polytechnic University where protesters have been practising their skills with bows and arrows and petrol bombs in a half-empty swimming pool, remained closed.

Students and protesters have barricaded at least five campuses after four days of some of the worst violence in the former British colony for decades.

Chinese University president Rocky Tuan said in an open letter that all outsiders must leave. "Universities are places to study, not to resolve political disputes or even a battlefield to create weapons and use force," he said.

"If the university cannot continue to fulfil its basic mission and tasks, we must seek the assistance of relevant government departments to lift the current crisis."

Protesters paralysed parts of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/hong-kongs-future-is-bright-says-alibaba-262275">Hong Kong for a fifth day</a> on Friday, forcing schools to close and disrupting transport. The week has also seen a marked intensification of the violence.

A 70-year-old street cleaner, who had been hit in the head by one of several bricks thrown by "masked rioters", died on Thursday. On Monday, police blamed a "rioter" for dousing a man in petrol and setting him on fire. The victim is in critical condition.

On the same day, police shot a protester in the abdomen. He is in stable condition. Police said the Chinese University had been "taken hostage".

"Rioters’ violence has infiltrated into almost every corner of society and now turned the Chinese University of Hong Kong into a powder keg," police spokesman Chief Superintendent Tse Chun-Chung told a briefing.

Protesters are angry at perceived Chinese meddling in the city since it returned to Beijing rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula guaranteeing its colonial-era freedoms.

China denies interfering and has blamed Western countries for stirring up trouble.

Police have kept their distance from the campuses for more than two days, saying both sides should cool off, but many observers are afraid of what will happen if and when they move in.

China and Hong Kong both condemned an attack in London on Thursday by a "violent mob" on Hong Kong's justice secretary, the first direct altercation between demonstrators and a government minister.

Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng, who was in London to promote Hong Kong as a dispute resolution and deal-making hub, was targeted by a group of protesters who shouted "murderer" and "shameful".

The Hong Kong government said Cheng suffered "serious bodily harm" but gave no details.

The Chinese Embassy in Britain said Cheng was "besieged and attacked by dozens of anti-China and pro-independence activists". The protests escalated in June over a now-scrapped extradition bill that would have allowed people to be sent to mainland China for trial. They have since evolved into anti-China calls for greater democracy, among other demands. A few want independence.

The unrest has plunged Hong Kong into its biggest political crisis in decades and pose the gravest popular challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012. Xi said in Brazil on Thursday stopping violence was the most urgent task for Hong Kong.

The demonstrations have battered the retail and tourism sectors, with widespread disruptions across the financial centre and no end in sight to the violence and vandalism.

Hong Kong sank into recession for the first time in a decade in the third quarter, government data confirmed on Friday, with its economy shrinking by 3.2 per cent from the previous quarter on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Video footage obtained by Reuters of the Chinese People's Liberation Army garrison headquarters near Hong Kong's Central business district showed more than a dozen troops conducting what appeared to be anti-riot drills against people pretending to be protesters carrying black umbrellas.

The PLA has stayed in the barracks since 1997 but China has warned that any attempt at independence will be crushed.

The president of Hong Kong's Chinese University, which anti-government protesters have turned into a fortress stockpiled with petrol bombs and bows and arrows, threatened on Friday to call in "assistance" unless all non-students leave.

The president of Hong Kong's Chinese University, which anti-government protesters have turned into a fortress stockpiled with petrol bombs and bows and arrows, threatened on Friday to call in "assistance" unless all non-students leave. The hilly campus was the scene of violent clashes this week, with pro-democracy protesters hurling petrol bombs at police and on to a highway linking the largely rural New Territories with the Kowloon peninsula to the south and Hong Kong island beyond. The Tolo highway has been partially reopened, but the Cross-Harbour Tunnel, outside the barricaded Polytechnic University where protesters have been practising their skills with bows and arrows and petrol bombs in a half-empty swimming pool, remained closed. Students and protesters have barricaded at least five campuses after four days of some of the worst violence in the former British colony for decades. Chinese University president Rocky Tuan said in an open letter that all outsiders must leave. "Universities are places to study, not to resolve political disputes or even a battlefield to create weapons and use force," he said. "If the university cannot continue to fulfil its basic mission and tasks, we must seek the assistance of relevant government departments to lift the current crisis." Protesters paralysed parts of Hong Kong for a fifth day on Friday, forcing schools to close and disrupting transport. The week has also seen a marked intensification of the violence. A 70-year-old street cleaner, who had been hit in the head by one of several bricks thrown by "masked rioters", died on Thursday. On Monday, police blamed a "rioter" for dousing a man in petrol and setting him on fire. The victim is in critical condition. On the same day, police shot a protester in the abdomen. He is in stable condition. Police said the Chinese University had been "taken hostage". "Rioters’ violence has infiltrated into almost every corner of society and now turned the Chinese University of Hong Kong into a powder keg," police spokesman Chief Superintendent Tse Chun-Chung told a briefing. Protesters are angry at perceived Chinese meddling in the city since it returned to Beijing rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula guaranteeing its colonial-era freedoms. China denies interfering and has blamed Western countries for stirring up trouble. Police have kept their distance from the campuses for more than two days, saying both sides should cool off, but many observers are afraid of what will happen if and when they move in. China and Hong Kong both condemned an attack in London on Thursday by a "violent mob" on Hong Kong's justice secretary, the first direct altercation between demonstrators and a government minister. Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng, who was in London to promote Hong Kong as a dispute resolution and deal-making hub, was targeted by a group of protesters who shouted "murderer" and "shameful". The Hong Kong government said Cheng suffered "serious bodily harm" but gave no details. The Chinese Embassy in Britain said Cheng was "besieged and attacked by dozens of anti-China and pro-independence activists". The protests escalated in June over a now-scrapped extradition bill that would have allowed people to be sent to mainland China for trial. They have since evolved into anti-China calls for greater democracy, among other demands. A few want independence. The unrest has plunged Hong Kong into its biggest political crisis in decades and pose the gravest popular challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012. Xi said in Brazil on Thursday stopping violence was the most urgent task for Hong Kong. The demonstrations have battered the retail and tourism sectors, with widespread disruptions across the financial centre and no end in sight to the violence and vandalism. Hong Kong sank into recession for the first time in a decade in the third quarter, government data confirmed on Friday, with its economy shrinking by 3.2 per cent from the previous quarter on a seasonally adjusted basis. Video footage obtained by Reuters of the Chinese People's Liberation Army garrison headquarters near Hong Kong's Central business district showed more than a dozen troops conducting what appeared to be anti-riot drills against people pretending to be protesters carrying black umbrellas. The PLA has stayed in the barracks since 1997 but China has warned that any attempt at independence will be crushed.

'All outsiders must leave': University tells non-students to go as Hong Kong campus showdowns loom

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-in-hong-kong-defy-chinas-xi-with-pro-democracy-rallies-262298">Hong&nbsp;Kong</a>&nbsp;confirmed on Friday its economy plunged into its first recession in a decade in the third quarter, weighed down by increasingly violent anti-government protests and the escalating US-China trade war.

The economy shrank by a seasonally adjusted 3.2 per cent&nbsp;in July-September from the previous quarter, in line with a preliminary reading, revised government data showed. Gross domestic product (GDP) contracted for the second consecutive quarter, meeting the technical definition of a recession.

From a year earlier, the economy contracted 2.9 per cent, the same as the preliminary drop. The readings were the weakest since the global financial crisis in 2008/2009.

Months of confrontation between police and protesters have plunged the financial and trading hub into its worst crisis since it reverted from British to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-condemns-attack-on-hong-kong-official-in-london-asks-local-police-to-continue-investigation-262218">Chinese rule</a> in 1997.

Tourists are cancelling bookings, retailers are reeling from a sharp drop in sales and the stock market is faltering, adding to pressure the city is feeling from China's economic slowdown and the prolonged Sino-US&nbsp;trade dispute.

Hong Kong confirmed on Friday its economy plunged into its first recession in a decade in the third quarter, weighed down by increasingly violent anti-government protests and the escalating US-China trade war.

Hong Kong confirmed on Friday its economy plunged into its first recession in a decade in the third quarter, weighed down by increasingly violent anti-government protests and the escalating US-China trade war. The economy shrank by a seasonally adjusted 3.2 per cent in July-September from the previous quarter, in line with a preliminary reading, revised government data showed. Gross domestic product (GDP) contracted for the second consecutive quarter, meeting the technical definition of a recession. From a year earlier, the economy contracted 2.9 per cent, the same as the preliminary drop. The readings were the weakest since the global financial crisis in 2008/2009. Months of confrontation between police and protesters have plunged the financial and trading hub into its worst crisis since it reverted from British to Chinese rule in 1997. Tourists are cancelling bookings, retailers are reeling from a sharp drop in sales and the stock market is faltering, adding to pressure the city is feeling from China's economic slowdown and the prolonged Sino-US trade dispute.

Hong Kong third-quarter GDP shrinks 3.2%, confirms depth of recession

Thousands of pro-democracy protesters took to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-condemns-attack-on-hong-kong-official-in-london-asks-local-police-to-continue-investigation-262218">Hong Kong's</a> streets Friday, defying a warning by Chinese President Xi Jinping, as a campaign of mass disruption extended into a fifth straight day.

Black-clad protesters also occupied university campuses, while office workers endured another day of transport chaos with suspensions on the vandalised train network and roads blocked by barricades.

Hong Kong has seen relentless protests since June as many in the city of 7.5 million people have vented fury at eroding freedoms under Chinese rule.

Those protests had been mainly in the evenings and on weekends, allowing the international financial hub to still function relatively smoothly during the week albeit with its economy dragged into recession.&nbsp;

With China offering no concessions, protesters switched tactics on Monday when they launched a "blossom everywhere" campaign to cause as much disruption as possible across Hong Kong and overwhelm the police force.

Their actions through the week have caused chaos across Hong Kon and been accompanied by intensifying violence from both sides -- two people have died in a week in incidents linked to the protests.

The five-day 'strike' has also seen major universities become a hub for the protesters - the first time a movement characterised by its fluidity and unpredictability has coagulated in fixed locations.

Violence from both sides has also escalated, and tensions have spilt out overseas.

On Thursday night Hong Kong Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng fell in London after being surrounded by pro-democracy protesters, in the most physical confrontation involving a member of the cabinet since the unrest began.&nbsp;

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam on Friday condemned the incident, describing it as a "barbaric attack".&nbsp;

Cheng walked away from the confrontation without any visible signs of injury.&nbsp;

Stand with Hong Kong

On Friday a "Lunch With You" event saw thousands of mainly office workers take to the city's streets, many chanting "Stand with Hong Kong" and raising an open hand with five fingers splayed.

It is a reference to the five demands of the protest movement, which include the right to freely elect <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-condemns-london-attack-on-justice-secretary-as-protests-continue-262184">Hong Kong's leaders</a>, as well as an independent inquiry into alleged police brutality.

"The government did not respond even when two million residents marched peacefully," a 25-year-old office worker who gave her surname as Wong said in the city's Central district, in reference to huge rallies that were a feature of the start of the movement.

"Now when the police are abusing their power the government... only thinks protesters are the problem."

The unrest was triggered by opposition to Hong Kong's government plan to introduce a law allowing the extradition of criminal suspects to mainland China.

The government belatedly withdrew the bill months into the unrest, but by then it had morphed into a much wider campaign for democratic freedoms and against the police.&nbsp;

Warnings from China

Chinese <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-violence-threatens-one-country-two-systems-xi-jinping-262146">President Xi</a> on Thursday backed Lam and the police force while warning the protest movement was threatening the "one country, two systems" principle governing the semi-autonomous city.

Hong Kong has been ruled by a unique system guaranteeing greater freedoms than on the mainland since its handover from British rule to China in 1997.

Xi said "stopping violence and controlling chaos" was the top priority.

With the crisis deepening by the week, fears have grown that Xi's patience will run out and Chinese troops will be deployed into to Hong Kong.

The Global Times, one of the powerful arms of the Chinese state media, on Thursday fuelled tensions with a tweet reporting that a curfew was imminent.

The Global Times quickly withdrew the tweet and the Hong Kong's government denied a curfew was planned.

But Chinese state media continued to pile on the pressure on Friday, calling for tougher action from the government and indicating a curfew was still on the cards.

"While it remains to be seen whether a curfew will be introduced, tougher action is undoubtedly called for," the China Daily, an English-language newspaper, said in an editorial.&nbsp;

Chinese media has repeatedly seized on violence from the protesters as the justification of a crackdown.

A 70-year-old man died on Thursday from injuries sustained a day earlier when he was hit by a brick during clashes between protesters and people angry with them.

Police on Friday said they had opened a murder case into the man's death.

On Monday a man arguing with protesters was set on fire by a black-clad masked person, with that incident caught on camera and posted online.

On the same day, a police officer shot an unarmed protester at close range.&nbsp;

Thousands of pro-democracy protesters took to Hong Kong's streets Friday, defying a warning by Chinese President Xi Jinping, as a campaign of mass disruption extended into a fifth straight day.

Thousands of pro-democracy protesters took to Hong Kong's streets Friday, defying a warning by Chinese President Xi Jinping, as a campaign of mass disruption extended into a fifth straight day. Black-clad protesters also occupied university campuses, while office workers endured another day of transport chaos with suspensions on the vandalised train network and roads blocked by barricades. Hong Kong has seen relentless protests since June as many in the city of 7.5 million people have vented fury at eroding freedoms under Chinese rule. Those protests had been mainly in the evenings and on weekends, allowing the international financial hub to still function relatively smoothly during the week albeit with its economy dragged into recession. With China offering no concessions, protesters switched tactics on Monday when they launched a "blossom everywhere" campaign to cause as much disruption as possible across Hong Kong and overwhelm the police force. Their actions through the week have caused chaos across Hong Kon and been accompanied by intensifying violence from both sides -- two people have died in a week in incidents linked to the protests. The five-day 'strike' has also seen major universities become a hub for the protesters - the first time a movement characterised by its fluidity and unpredictability has coagulated in fixed locations. Violence from both sides has also escalated, and tensions have spilt out overseas. On Thursday night Hong Kong Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng fell in London after being surrounded by pro-democracy protesters, in the most physical confrontation involving a member of the cabinet since the unrest began. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam on Friday condemned the incident, describing it as a "barbaric attack". Cheng walked away from the confrontation without any visible signs of injury. Stand with Hong Kong On Friday a "Lunch With You" event saw thousands of mainly office workers take to the city's streets, many chanting "Stand with Hong Kong" and raising an open hand with five fingers splayed. It is a reference to the five demands of the protest movement, which include the right to freely elect Hong Kong's leaders, as well as an independent inquiry into alleged police brutality. "The government did not respond even when two million residents marched peacefully," a 25-year-old office worker who gave her surname as Wong said in the city's Central district, in reference to huge rallies that were a feature of the start of the movement. "Now when the police are abusing their power the government... only thinks protesters are the problem." The unrest was triggered by opposition to Hong Kong's government plan to introduce a law allowing the extradition of criminal suspects to mainland China. The government belatedly withdrew the bill months into the unrest, but by then it had morphed into a much wider campaign for democratic freedoms and against the police. Warnings from China Chinese President Xi on Thursday backed Lam and the police force while warning the protest movement was threatening the "one country, two systems" principle governing the semi-autonomous city. Hong Kong has been ruled by a unique system guaranteeing greater freedoms than on the mainland since its handover from British rule to China in 1997. Xi said "stopping violence and controlling chaos" was the top priority. With the crisis deepening by the week, fears have grown that Xi's patience will run out and Chinese troops will be deployed into to Hong Kong. The Global Times, one of the powerful arms of the Chinese state media, on Thursday fuelled tensions with a tweet reporting that a curfew was imminent. The Global Times quickly withdrew the tweet and the Hong Kong's government denied a curfew was planned. But Chinese state media continued to pile on the pressure on Friday, calling for tougher action from the government and indicating a curfew was still on the cards. "While it remains to be seen whether a curfew will be introduced, tougher action is undoubtedly called for," the China Daily, an English-language newspaper, said in an editorial. Chinese media has repeatedly seized on violence from the protesters as the justification of a crackdown. A 70-year-old man died on Thursday from injuries sustained a day earlier when he was hit by a brick during clashes between protesters and people angry with them. Police on Friday said they had opened a murder case into the man's death. On Monday a man arguing with protesters was set on fire by a black-clad masked person, with that incident caught on camera and posted online. On the same day, a police officer shot an unarmed protester at close range.

Thousands in Hong Kong defy China's Xi with pro-democracy rallies

Hong Kong police on Thursday (November 14) condemned actions by anti-government protesters as "another step closer to terrorism" and warned people not to side with "rioters". Watch this video to know more.

WION Dispatch: Hong Kong leadership calls for social order

Pro-democracy protesters <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-government-expected-to-announce-weekend-curfew-report-262029">paralysed parts of Hong Kong for a fourth day</a> on Thursday, forcing schools to close and blocking highways as students built barricades and stockpiled makeshift weapons, setting the stage for campus showdowns.

China's Global Times tabloid, owned by the state-run People's Daily, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party, briefly said on Twitter that the Hong Kong government was expected to announce a weekend curfew after some of the worst violence in decades in the Chinese-ruled city.

It deleted the post after a short time. Its editor said there was "not sufficient" information to back it up.

Thousands of students hunkered down inside several campuses, surrounded by piles of food, bricks, petrol bombs, arrows with heads wrapped in cladding, catapults and other homemade weapons.

Police said Chinese University, in the New Territories, had become a "weapons factory and an arsenal" with bows and arrows and catapults.

"It is also evident that it has become a manufacturing base for petrol bombs," police said.

Protesters have torched vehicles and buildings, hurled petrol bombs at police stations and trains, dropped debris from bridges on to traffic below and vandalised shopping malls and campuses, raising questions about how and when more than five months of unrest can be brought to an end.

"I am not prepared to fire the arrows unless there’s no other resort," student Cheung, 18, told Reuters. "I am also new in learning how to use arrows. I think arrows can't really hit them but if the police fire live rounds, we will die."

Police said arrows were fired at officers from Hong Kong Polytechnic University in the morning.

Several universities announced there would be no classes on campuses for the rest of the year.

Baptist University, next to a Chinese People's Liberation Army base in Kowloon Tong, issued an "urgent appeal", telling students to stay away from campus.

"Your safety is so dear to our hearts and to your parents' and friends’ hearts," it said. "Please stay away from harm’s way."

The Global Times' short-lived announcement about a curfew cited unnamed sources. It did not elaborate but, but online rumours have swirled along those lines.

"We don’t want to see a curfew, but we think it will happen sooner or later," Polytechnic University student Alex, 19, told Reuters. "We think it will be twinned with the postponement of the district council elections.”

The elections are due on November&nbsp;24

Police gather

Hundreds of protesters occupied roads in the city's business district, home to some of the world's most expensive real estate, in the middle of the day.

Across the harbour, black-clad protesters and university students maintained their blockades of major roads, including the entrance to the Cross-Harbour Tunnel that links Hong Kong island to the Kowloon area, and a highway between Kowloon and the rural New Territories.

Police fired tear gas near the tunnel early on Thursday to try to clear the protesters. Roads were strewn with bricks and other debris, leading to widespread traffic jams.

Dozens of riot police gathered outside several universities early in the day as students fortified their positions with metal poles, bricks and chairs.

At the Polytechnic University, near the Kowloon entrance of the Cross Harbour tunnel, hundreds of students wearing gas masks readied for confrontation.

Boxes of petrol bombs were placed at vantage points overlooking roads, including the tunnel, which has been blocked since Wednesday evening.

Students also poured litres of cooking oil across the ground in an attempt to thwart police should they try to enter.

Violence has escalated in recent days, with police shooting and wounding one protester at close range and one man described as a "rioter" dousing a man with petrol before setting him on fire.

The man who was shot was in stable condition in hospital. The man who was lit on fire suffered burns to his torso and head, and was in critical condition.

The demonstrations were initially spurred by what many residents see as the stifling by Beijing of freedoms guaranteed under the "one country, two systems" formula put in place when the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Anger grew about what many see as police brutality as the protests intensified. Police deny brutality and say they have shown restraint in the face of potentially deadly attacks.

Police said on Thursday they would appoint 100 Correctional Services Department staff, who look after prisons, to reinforce the streets.

“I cannot see how adding 100 special police will help much," democratic lawmaker Tanya Chan told Reuters. "I don't know why the government doesn't adopt measures that can soften the tension rather than intensify conflict.”

China denies interfering and has blamed Western countries, including Britain and the United States, for stirring up trouble. Police deny using excessive force.

Pro-democracy protesters paralysed parts of Hong Kong for a fourth day on Thursday, forcing schools to close and blocking highways as students built barricades and stockpiled makeshift weapons, setting the stage for campus showdowns.

Pro-democracy protesters paralysed parts of Hong Kong for a fourth day on Thursday, forcing schools to close and blocking highways as students built barricades and stockpiled makeshift weapons, setting the stage for campus showdowns. China's Global Times tabloid, owned by the state-run People's Daily, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party, briefly said on Twitter that the Hong Kong government was expected to announce a weekend curfew after some of the worst violence in decades in the Chinese-ruled city. It deleted the post after a short time. Its editor said there was "not sufficient" information to back it up. Thousands of students hunkered down inside several campuses, surrounded by piles of food, bricks, petrol bombs, arrows with heads wrapped in cladding, catapults and other homemade weapons. Police said Chinese University, in the New Territories, had become a "weapons factory and an arsenal" with bows and arrows and catapults. "It is also evident that it has become a manufacturing base for petrol bombs," police said. Protesters have torched vehicles and buildings, hurled petrol bombs at police stations and trains, dropped debris from bridges on to traffic below and vandalised shopping malls and campuses, raising questions about how and when more than five months of unrest can be brought to an end. "I am not prepared to fire the arrows unless there’s no other resort," student Cheung, 18, told Reuters. "I am also new in learning how to use arrows. I think arrows can't really hit them but if the police fire live rounds, we will die." Police said arrows were fired at officers from Hong Kong Polytechnic University in the morning. Several universities announced there would be no classes on campuses for the rest of the year. Baptist University, next to a Chinese People's Liberation Army base in Kowloon Tong, issued an "urgent appeal", telling students to stay away from campus. "Your safety is so dear to our hearts and to your parents' and friends’ hearts," it said. "Please stay away from harm’s way." The Global Times' short-lived announcement about a curfew cited unnamed sources. It did not elaborate but, but online rumours have swirled along those lines. "We don’t want to see a curfew, but we think it will happen sooner or later," Polytechnic University student Alex, 19, told Reuters. "We think it will be twinned with the postponement of the district council elections.” The elections are due on November 24 Police gather Hundreds of protesters occupied roads in the city's business district, home to some of the world's most expensive real estate, in the middle of the day. Across the harbour, black-clad protesters and university students maintained their blockades of major roads, including the entrance to the Cross-Harbour Tunnel that links Hong Kong island to the Kowloon area, and a highway between Kowloon and the rural New Territories. Police fired tear gas near the tunnel early on Thursday to try to clear the protesters. Roads were strewn with bricks and other debris, leading to widespread traffic jams. Dozens of riot police gathered outside several universities early in the day as students fortified their positions with metal poles, bricks and chairs. At the Polytechnic University, near the Kowloon entrance of the Cross Harbour tunnel, hundreds of students wearing gas masks readied for confrontation. Boxes of petrol bombs were placed at vantage points overlooking roads, including the tunnel, which has been blocked since Wednesday evening. Students also poured litres of cooking oil across the ground in an attempt to thwart police should they try to enter. Violence has escalated in recent days, with police shooting and wounding one protester at close range and one man described as a "rioter" dousing a man with petrol before setting him on fire. The man who was shot was in stable condition in hospital. The man who was lit on fire suffered burns to his torso and head, and was in critical condition. The demonstrations were initially spurred by what many residents see as the stifling by Beijing of freedoms guaranteed under the "one country, two systems" formula put in place when the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Anger grew about what many see as police brutality as the protests intensified. Police deny brutality and say they have shown restraint in the face of potentially deadly attacks. Police said on Thursday they would appoint 100 Correctional Services Department staff, who look after prisons, to reinforce the streets. “I cannot see how adding 100 special police will help much," democratic lawmaker Tanya Chan told Reuters. "I don't know why the government doesn't adopt measures that can soften the tension rather than intensify conflict.” China denies interfering and has blamed Western countries, including Britain and the United States, for stirring up trouble. Police deny using excessive force.

Hong Kong students arm themselves for showdown amid talk of curfew

Hong Kong is expected to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mainland-china-students-flee-hong-kong-over-protest-violence-fears-261827">announce weekend curfew</a>, China state-run Global Times said in a tweet citing unnamed sources.

"#HKSAR government is expected to announce curfew for the weekend," the Global Times said in a post.

Hong Kong witnessed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/protesters-block-central-hong-kong-streets-as-chaos-grips-city-261782">large scale violent protests</a> in its universities as authorities struggled to control the student-led demonstrations.

Hong Kong authorities had ordered schools and universities closed due to the violence in the city. Authorities have ordered schools and universities to closed until next week.

Earlier in the week, Hong Kong Polytechnic University saw largescale student violence as police opened fire which hit a student who was later sent to a hospital. The government said nearly 70 people were hospitalised on Wednesday as the violence continued unabated.

Protesters have been calling for greater accountability from the Hong Kong government and steps to be taken towards police reforms.

There were clashes between students and authorities throughout the week as protesters set up barricades and students set up blockades of major roads, including the entrance to the cross-harbour tunnel that links Hong Kong island to the Kowloon area.

Police fired tear gas near the tunnel early on Thursday to try to clear the protesters. Several students barricaded themselves inside campuses and hurled petrol bombs as police tried to take control.

Students wearing facemasks clashed in various parts of the city as riot police confronted them at various points.

Amid the crisis, Carrie Lam&nbsp;met senior officials late on Wednesday, local media reported. Lam had said earlier in the week that protesters in the city were "selfish" and were now the enemy of the people. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Hong Kong is expected to announce weekend curfew, China state-run Global Times said in a tweet citing unnamed sources. "#HKSAR government is expected to announce curfew for the weekend," the Global Times said in a post.

Hong Kong is expected to announce weekend curfew, China state-run Global Times said in a tweet citing unnamed sources. "#HKSAR government is expected to announce curfew for the weekend," the Global Times said in a post. Hong Kong witnessed large scale violent protests in its universities as authorities struggled to control the student-led demonstrations. Hong Kong authorities had ordered schools and universities closed due to the violence in the city. Authorities have ordered schools and universities to closed until next week. Earlier in the week, Hong Kong Polytechnic University saw largescale student violence as police opened fire which hit a student who was later sent to a hospital. The government said nearly 70 people were hospitalised on Wednesday as the violence continued unabated. Protesters have been calling for greater accountability from the Hong Kong government and steps to be taken towards police reforms. There were clashes between students and authorities throughout the week as protesters set up barricades and students set up blockades of major roads, including the entrance to the cross-harbour tunnel that links Hong Kong island to the Kowloon area. Police fired tear gas near the tunnel early on Thursday to try to clear the protesters. Several students barricaded themselves inside campuses and hurled petrol bombs as police tried to take control. Students wearing facemasks clashed in various parts of the city as riot police confronted them at various points. Amid the crisis, Carrie Lam met senior officials late on Wednesday, local media reported. Lam had said earlier in the week that protesters in the city were "selfish" and were now the enemy of the people.

Hong Kong government expected to announce weekend curfew: Report

Anti-government protesters dug in at several university campuses across Hong Kong on Wednesday, setting the stage for further confrontations as police said violence in the Chinese-ruled city had reached a "very dangerous and even deadly level".

Protesters - many of them young students - spent much of Wednesday fortifying barricades and stockpiling food and makeshift weapons, as other roving bands of masked protesters disrupted transport and businesses in many areas.

As night fell without more of the large on-campus <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/protesters-block-central-hong-kong-streets-as-chaos-grips-city-261782">clashes seen the previous day</a>, protesters manning the barricades and checkpoints around the universities arranged to sleep in shifts to watch for any approaching police.

Demonstrators have been protesting since June about what they see as meddling by Beijing in the freedoms guaranteed under the "one country, two systems" formula put in place when the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Allegations of police brutality have fuelled protesters' anger.

China denies interfering in Hong Kong's affairs and has blamed Western countries, including Britain and the United States, for stirring up trouble.

In the heart of the city's Central business district on Wednesday night, police used an armoured vehicle with an officer firing less-than-lethal rounds from the roof to ram a barricade and disperse protesters who had been blocking traffic.

Nearby, protesters also blocked the entrance to the Cross-Harbour Tunnel that links Hong Kong island to the Kowloon area, according to the city's Transport Department.

Earlier in the day, about 1,000 protesters blocked roads in the Central district at lunchtime. Wearing now-banned face masks and dressed in office wear, they marched and hurled bricks on to roads lined with some of the world's most expensive real estate and luxury flagship stores.

Scores of riot police tried to disperse the crowds near the stock exchange, wrestling some people to the ground and beating others with batons.

At the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), where multiple people were injured in clashes between riot police and protesters on Tuesday, police accused protesters of running a "weapons factory" making hundreds of petrol bombs that were thrown at officers.

"A university is supposed to be a breeding ground for future leaders, but it became a battlefield for criminals and rioters," Hong Kong police spokesman Tse Chun-chung told reporters.

&nbsp;Police confirmed that they had evacuated a number of mainland Chinese university students from Hong Kong by boat, while Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council said dozens of Taiwanese students were also due to leave the city due to safety concerns.

"The youngsters are really the future of Hong Kong so even though I'm worried about being checked by the police I still want to come and support them," said Cheung, a 30-year-old alumni bringing supplies including food to one campus.

Protesters and police had battled through Tuesday night at university campuses only hours after a senior police officer said the city had been pushed to the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/violence-brings-hong-kong-to-brink-of-total-breakdown-metro-suspends-operations-261570"> "brink of a total breakdown".</a>

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam met with city government officials late on Wednesday, according to public broadcaster RTHK, though the exact details of the meeting were not released.

Hong Kong's Education Bureau said all schools would shut on Thursday. Several universities said they would be introducing online learning and other assessment methods for the remaining weeks of the term.

The flare-ups came after police shot a protester at close range on Monday and police said "rioters" doused a man with petrol and set him on fire in some of the worst violence so far.

"Rioters' violence reached a very dangerous and even deadly level," police spokesman Tse told a media briefing. "Nowhere in Hong Kong is a lawless land."

The turmoil caused delays for thousands of commuters who queued at metro stations across the city early on Wednesday, after some railway services were suspended and roads closed.

"It is very painful to watch my city turn into this. Look at everyone, how angry they are," said Alexandra, a 42-year-old insurance executive who had been trying to get to work.

"We all want to return to normal, but how can the government do that if they don't listen to what Hong Kongers have been asking for."

Police said 142 people had been arrested since Tuesday, bringing the total number of arrests to more than 4,000.

Hong Kong's Hospital Authority said 81 people had been injured since Monday, with two in serious condition.

Police used tear gas and other equipment to clear protests in several areas of the city in the evening.

Many banks and shops in bustling commercial areas shut on Wednesday, while Hong Kong's Jockey Club cancelled its evening races.

The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines announced on Wednesday it would cancel the Assembly of Presidents meeting scheduled to take place in Hong Kong later in November. The decision comes a week after major back-to-back conferences on air finance, a key growth area for Hong Kong.

Anti-government protesters dug in at several university campuses across Hong Kong on Wednesday, setting the stage for further confrontations as police said violence in the Chinese-ruled city had reached a "very dangerous and even deadly level".

Anti-government protesters dug in at several university campuses across Hong Kong on Wednesday, setting the stage for further confrontations as police said violence in the Chinese-ruled city had reached a "very dangerous and even deadly level". Protesters - many of them young students - spent much of Wednesday fortifying barricades and stockpiling food and makeshift weapons, as other roving bands of masked protesters disrupted transport and businesses in many areas. As night fell without more of the large on-campus clashes seen the previous day, protesters manning the barricades and checkpoints around the universities arranged to sleep in shifts to watch for any approaching police. Demonstrators have been protesting since June about what they see as meddling by Beijing in the freedoms guaranteed under the "one country, two systems" formula put in place when the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Allegations of police brutality have fuelled protesters' anger. China denies interfering in Hong Kong's affairs and has blamed Western countries, including Britain and the United States, for stirring up trouble. In the heart of the city's Central business district on Wednesday night, police used an armoured vehicle with an officer firing less-than-lethal rounds from the roof to ram a barricade and disperse protesters who had been blocking traffic. Nearby, protesters also blocked the entrance to the Cross-Harbour Tunnel that links Hong Kong island to the Kowloon area, according to the city's Transport Department. Earlier in the day, about 1,000 protesters blocked roads in the Central district at lunchtime. Wearing now-banned face masks and dressed in office wear, they marched and hurled bricks on to roads lined with some of the world's most expensive real estate and luxury flagship stores. Scores of riot police tried to disperse the crowds near the stock exchange, wrestling some people to the ground and beating others with batons. At the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), where multiple people were injured in clashes between riot police and protesters on Tuesday, police accused protesters of running a "weapons factory" making hundreds of petrol bombs that were thrown at officers. "A university is supposed to be a breeding ground for future leaders, but it became a battlefield for criminals and rioters," Hong Kong police spokesman Tse Chun-chung told reporters. Police confirmed that they had evacuated a number of mainland Chinese university students from Hong Kong by boat, while Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council said dozens of Taiwanese students were also due to leave the city due to safety concerns. "The youngsters are really the future of Hong Kong so even though I'm worried about being checked by the police I still want to come and support them," said Cheung, a 30-year-old alumni bringing supplies including food to one campus. Protesters and police had battled through Tuesday night at university campuses only hours after a senior police officer said the city had been pushed to the "brink of a total breakdown". Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam met with city government officials late on Wednesday, according to public broadcaster RTHK, though the exact details of the meeting were not released. Hong Kong's Education Bureau said all schools would shut on Thursday. Several universities said they would be introducing online learning and other assessment methods for the remaining weeks of the term. The flare-ups came after police shot a protester at close range on Monday and police said "rioters" doused a man with petrol and set him on fire in some of the worst violence so far. "Rioters' violence reached a very dangerous and even deadly level," police spokesman Tse told a media briefing. "Nowhere in Hong Kong is a lawless land." The turmoil caused delays for thousands of commuters who queued at metro stations across the city early on Wednesday, after some railway services were suspended and roads closed. "It is very painful to watch my city turn into this. Look at everyone, how angry they are," said Alexandra, a 42-year-old insurance executive who had been trying to get to work. "We all want to return to normal, but how can the government do that if they don't listen to what Hong Kongers have been asking for." Police said 142 people had been arrested since Tuesday, bringing the total number of arrests to more than 4,000. Hong Kong's Hospital Authority said 81 people had been injured since Monday, with two in serious condition. Police used tear gas and other equipment to clear protests in several areas of the city in the evening. Many banks and shops in bustling commercial areas shut on Wednesday, while Hong Kong's Jockey Club cancelled its evening races. The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines announced on Wednesday it would cancel the Assembly of Presidents meeting scheduled to take place in Hong Kong later in November. The decision comes a week after major back-to-back conferences on air finance, a key growth area for Hong Kong.

Protesters blockade universities, stockpile makeshift weapons as chaos grips Hong Kong

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group launched the share sale for its Hong Kong listing on Wednesday, braving unrest in the global financial hub to try to raise up to $13.4 billion to fund its expansion plans.

The stock is due to start trading on November&nbsp;26 in Hong Kong, according to a term-sheet seen by Reuters.

The books for institutional investors looking to buy the shares opened during the New York trading session on Wednesday.

A 661-page draft prospectus for what looks set to be the world's biggest cross-border secondary listing shows Alibaba plans to use the money to invest in online delivery and local services platform Ele.me, as well as online travel group Fliggy.

It will also spend more on developing Youku, which Alibaba says is one of the leading online video platforms in China.

The plans come against the backdrop of slowing e-commerce industry in China, with Alibaba's annual Singles' Day shopping blitz recording its weakest sales growth since its 2009 debut.

The share sale, set to be Hong Kong's largest in more than nine years, is a boost for the city.

Hong Kong has sunk into its first recession in a decade as more than five months of street protests in which more than 2,300 people have been arrested as of last month, and worries about the US-China trade war took their toll.

The progress of the protests is being monitored by Alibaba and its advisers, and is seen as a risk to the deal going ahead, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter.

The institutional book-building for the listing will run for a week and the stock is expected to be priced on or around Nov. 20, two people with direct knowledge of the process said.

A maximum price for the retail component of the deal will be announced next week, one said.

The people could not be named because the information has not yet been made public.

The company also intends to increase its investment in cloud computing and machine learning, the prospectus shows.

The Hangzhou-based company said Alibaba Cloud was currently the world's third-largest Infrastructure as a Service business, by US revenue in 2018, according to a study by Gartner.

The prospectus shows Alibaba has 960 million 'digital economy users' in China, including customers of its Ant Financial partnership.

The company said its revenue was 410.8 billion yuan ($58.7 billion)for the year to June 30, 2019, and the total assets on its balance sheet were worth 1.01 trillion yuan.

Discount

Alibaba had been planning to sell the shares earlier this year, but in August postponed the deal as the anti-government protests rocking Hong Kong since June became increasingly violent.

However, a person familiar with the transaction said Alibaba was confident it could overcome the negative sentiment in Hong Kong financial markets caused by the demonstrations.

Analyst James Cordwell from Atlantic Equities echoes the sentiment and said that an increasing likelihood of a deal in the US-China trade war in the next few weeks helped the company undertake the listing now.

He said that while additional supply could weigh on the stock, over the longer run it could help the stock by broadening its investor base.

The deal had been initially expected to raise up to $15 billion, but 500 million primary shares will now be sold in the listing. Including a typical "greenshoe", or overallotment option, to sell some extra shares, the sale could raise up to $13.4 billion.

A sale of that size would dilute existing shareholders from the company's New York listing by 2.8%, and investors would be able trade shares between the two exchanges.

Alibaba's US-listed shares were down 2.7% at $181.94 in morning trade.

The Hong Kong shares are expected to be offered at a discount of up to 5% of the US equivalent.

At $13.4 billion, Alibaba’s share sale would rank as the world’s largest follow-on share sale targeting an entirely new stock exchange, according to data from Dealogic.

Alibaba holds the world record for an initial public offering (IPO) with its $25 billion New York flotation in 2014, but could shortly lose the crown to Saudi Arabia’s Aramco.

The oil producer is expected to raise between $20 billion and $40 billion in an IPO expected to price in the coming weeks.

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group launched the share sale for its Hong Kong listing on Wednesday, braving unrest in the global financial hub to try to raise up to $13.

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group launched the share sale for its Hong Kong listing on Wednesday, braving unrest in the global financial hub to try to raise up to $13.4 billion to fund its expansion plans. The stock is due to start trading on November 26 in Hong Kong, according to a term-sheet seen by Reuters. The books for institutional investors looking to buy the shares opened during the New York trading session on Wednesday. A 661-page draft prospectus for what looks set to be the world's biggest cross-border secondary listing shows Alibaba plans to use the money to invest in online delivery and local services platform Ele.me, as well as online travel group Fliggy. It will also spend more on developing Youku, which Alibaba says is one of the leading online video platforms in China. The plans come against the backdrop of slowing e-commerce industry in China, with Alibaba's annual Singles' Day shopping blitz recording its weakest sales growth since its 2009 debut. The share sale, set to be Hong Kong's largest in more than nine years, is a boost for the city. Hong Kong has sunk into its first recession in a decade as more than five months of street protests in which more than 2,300 people have been arrested as of last month, and worries about the US-China trade war took their toll. The progress of the protests is being monitored by Alibaba and its advisers, and is seen as a risk to the deal going ahead, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter. The institutional book-building for the listing will run for a week and the stock is expected to be priced on or around Nov. 20, two people with direct knowledge of the process said. A maximum price for the retail component of the deal will be announced next week, one said. The people could not be named because the information has not yet been made public. The company also intends to increase its investment in cloud computing and machine learning, the prospectus shows. The Hangzhou-based company said Alibaba Cloud was currently the world's third-largest Infrastructure as a Service business, by US revenue in 2018, according to a study by Gartner. The prospectus shows Alibaba has 960 million 'digital economy users' in China, including customers of its Ant Financial partnership. The company said its revenue was 410.8 billion yuan ($58.7 billion)for the year to June 30, 2019, and the total assets on its balance sheet were worth 1.01 trillion yuan. Discount Alibaba had been planning to sell the shares earlier this year, but in August postponed the deal as the anti-government protests rocking Hong Kong since June became increasingly violent. However, a person familiar with the transaction said Alibaba was confident it could overcome the negative sentiment in Hong Kong financial markets caused by the demonstrations. Analyst James Cordwell from Atlantic Equities echoes the sentiment and said that an increasing likelihood of a deal in the US-China trade war in the next few weeks helped the company undertake the listing now. He said that while additional supply could weigh on the stock, over the longer run it could help the stock by broadening its investor base. The deal had been initially expected to raise up to $15 billion, but 500 million primary shares will now be sold in the listing. Including a typical "greenshoe", or overallotment option, to sell some extra shares, the sale could raise up to $13.4 billion. A sale of that size would dilute existing shareholders from the company's New York listing by 2.8%, and investors would be able trade shares between the two exchanges. Alibaba's US-listed shares were down 2.7% at $181.94 in morning trade. The Hong Kong shares are expected to be offered at a discount of up to 5% of the US equivalent. At $13.4 billion, Alibaba’s share sale would rank as the world’s largest follow-on share sale targeting an entirely new stock exchange, according to data from Dealogic. Alibaba holds the world record for an initial public offering (IPO) with its $25 billion New York flotation in 2014, but could shortly lose the crown to Saudi Arabia’s Aramco. The oil producer is expected to raise between $20 billion and $40 billion in an IPO expected to price in the coming weeks.

Alibaba launches $13.4 billion Hong Kong listing to fund expansion

This segment of WION brings to you top stories of the morning from across the globe. Watch this video to get updated with the latest information.

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning - November 13th, 2019

Another day of chaos in Hong Kong; Fires lit near Chinese university. Watch video to know more.

Another day of chaos in Hong Kong; Fires lit near Chinese university

Mainland Chinese students have begun fleeing Hong Kong campuses over security fears, police and university officials said Wednesday, as the city's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/protesters-block-central-hong-kong-streets-as-chaos-grips-city-261782">seething political crisis</a> saw some of its worst violence this week.

The most intense clashes on Tuesday occurred at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where pitched battles were fought with the police firing tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets and protesters throwing petrol bombs and bricks, paralysing the campus and the area around it.

A group of mainland students at CUHK attempted to depart the campus Wednesday morning over safety concerns but had to be shuttled away by a police boat because they were unable to leave via obstructed roads.

"The police decided to deploy a police launch to assist the group of students to go to a safe location," the force said.

Images on local outlet Stand News showed dozens of people -- some carrying luggage -- standing next to a vessel with police markings, purportedly fleeing the campus.

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology meanwhile arranged a special bus service to ferry students from its campus to a station that offers services to the mainland.

"While we are not aware of any imminent threat to campus safety, we understand some staff and students have the desire to leave campus," the university said in an email to students.

The Hong Kong Baptist University suspended on-campus teaching two weeks before the scheduled end of the semester, switching to either online sessions or postponing classes altogether. It also announced online teaching arrangements for students who choose to return to mainland China.

It was not immediately clear how many mainland Chinese students have left Hong Kong during the latest escalation of violence.

A youth wing of the Communist Party in Shenzhen on Wednesday said it was offering free accommodation at its facilities for mainlanders studying in Hong Kong. Other groups posted similar offers on Weibo, China's Twitter-like social media platform.

'Escape Day'

The protest movement is the biggest challenge to Beijing's rule since Hong Kong was returned by Britain in 1997, fuelled by fears that China is choking the liberties and freedoms the city is meant to have under the handover deal.

More radical demonstrators have targeted businesses and people perceived to be pro-China. In a particularly shocking incident, a man was doused in a flammable liquid and set on fire during an argument with pro-democracy protesters.

Such attacks have been picked up by Chinese state media, which have described the pro-democracy protesters as "rioters".

The nationalist tabloid Global Times described the situation as an "Escape Day".&nbsp;

"It's hard to go to the campus, it's risky," said a Hong Kong University postgraduate student who gave his surname Zhang.

"The atmosphere is pretty intense. I live in (a) student flat and so far it's fine. But I'm afraid if anything happened, you can't leave."

Another mainland student who asked to remain anonymous said she recognised many other students at the West Kowloon high-speed railway station, which connects Hong Kong with Shenzhen and beyond.

"The atmosphere these days... makes me want to leave," she told AFP before departing for the mainland, referring to the "bad mood" the situation had caused among Chinese students.

The only thing that made her feel better was "going to McDonald's".

"I can't stand that," she said. "So I finally left."

Mainland Chinese students have begun fleeing Hong Kong campuses over security fears, police and university officials said Wednesday, as the city's seething political crisis saw some of its worst violence this week.

Mainland Chinese students have begun fleeing Hong Kong campuses over security fears, police and university officials said Wednesday, as the city's seething political crisis saw some of its worst violence this week. The most intense clashes on Tuesday occurred at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where pitched battles were fought with the police firing tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets and protesters throwing petrol bombs and bricks, paralysing the campus and the area around it. A group of mainland students at CUHK attempted to depart the campus Wednesday morning over safety concerns but had to be shuttled away by a police boat because they were unable to leave via obstructed roads. "The police decided to deploy a police launch to assist the group of students to go to a safe location," the force said. Images on local outlet Stand News showed dozens of people -- some carrying luggage -- standing next to a vessel with police markings, purportedly fleeing the campus. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology meanwhile arranged a special bus service to ferry students from its campus to a station that offers services to the mainland. "While we are not aware of any imminent threat to campus safety, we understand some staff and students have the desire to leave campus," the university said in an email to students. The Hong Kong Baptist University suspended on-campus teaching two weeks before the scheduled end of the semester, switching to either online sessions or postponing classes altogether. It also announced online teaching arrangements for students who choose to return to mainland China. It was not immediately clear how many mainland Chinese students have left Hong Kong during the latest escalation of violence. A youth wing of the Communist Party in Shenzhen on Wednesday said it was offering free accommodation at its facilities for mainlanders studying in Hong Kong. Other groups posted similar offers on Weibo, China's Twitter-like social media platform. 'Escape Day' The protest movement is the biggest challenge to Beijing's rule since Hong Kong was returned by Britain in 1997, fuelled by fears that China is choking the liberties and freedoms the city is meant to have under the handover deal. More radical demonstrators have targeted businesses and people perceived to be pro-China. In a particularly shocking incident, a man was doused in a flammable liquid and set on fire during an argument with pro-democracy protesters. Such attacks have been picked up by Chinese state media, which have described the pro-democracy protesters as "rioters". The nationalist tabloid Global Times described the situation as an "Escape Day". "It's hard to go to the campus, it's risky," said a Hong Kong University postgraduate student who gave his surname Zhang. "The atmosphere is pretty intense. I live in (a) student flat and so far it's fine. But I'm afraid if anything happened, you can't leave." Another mainland student who asked to remain anonymous said she recognised many other students at the West Kowloon high-speed railway station, which connects Hong Kong with Shenzhen and beyond. "The atmosphere these days... makes me want to leave," she told AFP before departing for the mainland, referring to the "bad mood" the situation had caused among Chinese students. The only thing that made her feel better was "going to McDonald's". "I can't stand that," she said. "So I finally left."

Mainland China students flee Hong Kong over protest violence fears

Hong Kong anti-government protesters paralysed parts of the Asian financial hub for a third day, with some transport links, schools and many businesses closing after an escalation of violence.

Around 1,000 protesters blocked roads in the heart of the city's Central business district during the lunchtime rush hour. Wearing now-banned face masks and dressed in office wear, they marched and hurled bricks onto roads lined with some of the world's most expensive real estate and luxury flagship stores.

Scores of riot police tried to disperse the crowds, grappling some people to the ground and beating others with batons near the city's stock exchange.

Protesters and police had battled through the night at university campuses only hours after a senior police officer said on Tuesday the Chinese-ruled city had been pushed to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/violence-brings-hong-kong-to-brink-of-total-breakdown-metro-suspends-operations-261570">"brink of a total breakdown"</a>. Many campuses remained tense.

Activists had blocked roads, torched several vehicles, hurled petrol bombs at a police station and smashed part of a major shopping mall in various districts the previous night.

The flare-ups came after police shot an unarmed protester at close range on Monday and police said "rioters" doused a man with petrol and set him on fire in some of the worst violence since protests began more than five months ago. Police are still investigating.

Protesters also planned demonstrations across the harbour from Central on the Kowloon peninsula and in the outlying New Territories, according to notices circulated on social media.

The disruptions caused delays for thousands of commuters who queued at metro stations across the city early on Wednesday after some railway services were suspended and roads closed.

Hong Kong's Education Bureau said all schools would shut on Thursday for transport and safety reasons.

Protesters are angry about what they see as police brutality and meddling by Beijing in the freedoms guaranteed under the "one country, two systems" formula put in place when the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

China denies interfering and has blamed Western countries, including Britain and the United States, for stirring up trouble.

"We just want to affect the Hong Kong economy to let the government know we are serious about our demands," said a 21- year-old student named Lee, who had spent the night making petrol <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/another-day-of-chaos-in-hong-kong-fires-lit-near-chinese-university-261697">bombs at City University</a>.

"Every day, everywhere, people are getting hurt."

There were chaotic scenes through the night at the prestigious Chinese University, with explosions, plumes of smoke, yelling and sustained firing of tear gas and rubber bullets during which scores were injured. Hong Kong's Hospital Authority said 81 people had been injured since Monday, with two in serious condition.

The youngest was 10 months old but the cause of the infant's injuries was not known.

Dozens of commuters scrambling to get to work tried to stop a rural metro station in the eastern part of the city from shutting after the metro operator, MTR Corp, announced it was stopping services there.

Several train lines, stations and bus routes were shut because of damaged facilities, the operator said, adding that its whole train network would shut by 10 p.m. (1400 GMT), more than two hours early.

"It is very painful to watch my city turn into this. Look at everyone, how angry they are," said Alexandra, a 42-year-old insurance executive who had been trying to get to work.

"We all want to return to normal, but how can the government do that if they don't listen to what Hong Kongers have been asking for," she said.

Police rammed barricades with buses to clear them outside Baptist University campus on the Kowloon peninsula. At least two people were arrested before police made a quick retreat.

Protesters later regrouped to build new roadblocks, reinforcing them with bricks dug up from the sidewalk.

"We are trying to tell the grown-ups that we can do something to stop the injustice and violence," a Baptist University student, who gave her name as Emily, told Reuters.

"Most of us are young and we are fighting for our future. This is our way of showing how much we care," she said.

Many banks and retail stores in bustling commercial areas shut on Wednesday, while Hong Kong's Jockey Club cancelled its evening races. Many recreational clubs said they were also shut for the day or planned to close early.

Hong Kong's stock market dropped 2 per cent&nbsp;to a three-week low in early trade, outpacing falls elsewhere in Asia. The drop came after the city's embattled leader, Carrie Lam, said protesters trying to paralyse the city were being "extremely selfish".

Chinese state media condemned the violence, with the China Daily newspaper saying young protesters were revelling in a "hormone-fuelled 'rebellion'".

"It is foolish and naive to believe that Hong Kong would be better off by eliminating all mainland factors. Particularly, since the mainland is the main source of fresh water, electricity and the largest supplier of food to the city," it said.

Hong Kong anti-government protesters paralysed parts of the Asian financial hub for a third day, with some transport links, schools and many businesses closing after an escalation of violence.

Hong Kong anti-government protesters paralysed parts of the Asian financial hub for a third day, with some transport links, schools and many businesses closing after an escalation of violence. Around 1,000 protesters blocked roads in the heart of the city's Central business district during the lunchtime rush hour. Wearing now-banned face masks and dressed in office wear, they marched and hurled bricks onto roads lined with some of the world's most expensive real estate and luxury flagship stores. Scores of riot police tried to disperse the crowds, grappling some people to the ground and beating others with batons near the city's stock exchange. Protesters and police had battled through the night at university campuses only hours after a senior police officer said on Tuesday the Chinese-ruled city had been pushed to the "brink of a total breakdown". Many campuses remained tense. Activists had blocked roads, torched several vehicles, hurled petrol bombs at a police station and smashed part of a major shopping mall in various districts the previous night. The flare-ups came after police shot an unarmed protester at close range on Monday and police said "rioters" doused a man with petrol and set him on fire in some of the worst violence since protests began more than five months ago. Police are still investigating. Protesters also planned demonstrations across the harbour from Central on the Kowloon peninsula and in the outlying New Territories, according to notices circulated on social media. The disruptions caused delays for thousands of commuters who queued at metro stations across the city early on Wednesday after some railway services were suspended and roads closed. Hong Kong's Education Bureau said all schools would shut on Thursday for transport and safety reasons. Protesters are angry about what they see as police brutality and meddling by Beijing in the freedoms guaranteed under the "one country, two systems" formula put in place when the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. China denies interfering and has blamed Western countries, including Britain and the United States, for stirring up trouble. "We just want to affect the Hong Kong economy to let the government know we are serious about our demands," said a 21- year-old student named Lee, who had spent the night making petrol bombs at City University. "Every day, everywhere, people are getting hurt." There were chaotic scenes through the night at the prestigious Chinese University, with explosions, plumes of smoke, yelling and sustained firing of tear gas and rubber bullets during which scores were injured. Hong Kong's Hospital Authority said 81 people had been injured since Monday, with two in serious condition. The youngest was 10 months old but the cause of the infant's injuries was not known. Dozens of commuters scrambling to get to work tried to stop a rural metro station in the eastern part of the city from shutting after the metro operator, MTR Corp, announced it was stopping services there. Several train lines, stations and bus routes were shut because of damaged facilities, the operator said, adding that its whole train network would shut by 10 p.m. (1400 GMT), more than two hours early. "It is very painful to watch my city turn into this. Look at everyone, how angry they are," said Alexandra, a 42-year-old insurance executive who had been trying to get to work. "We all want to return to normal, but how can the government do that if they don't listen to what Hong Kongers have been asking for," she said. Police rammed barricades with buses to clear them outside Baptist University campus on the Kowloon peninsula. At least two people were arrested before police made a quick retreat. Protesters later regrouped to build new roadblocks, reinforcing them with bricks dug up from the sidewalk. "We are trying to tell the grown-ups that we can do something to stop the injustice and violence," a Baptist University student, who gave her name as Emily, told Reuters. "Most of us are young and we are fighting for our future. This is our way of showing how much we care," she said. Many banks and retail stores in bustling commercial areas shut on Wednesday, while Hong Kong's Jockey Club cancelled its evening races. Many recreational clubs said they were also shut for the day or planned to close early. Hong Kong's stock market dropped 2 per cent to a three-week low in early trade, outpacing falls elsewhere in Asia. The drop came after the city's embattled leader, Carrie Lam, said protesters trying to paralyse the city were being "extremely selfish". Chinese state media condemned the violence, with the China Daily newspaper saying young protesters were revelling in a "hormone-fuelled 'rebellion'". "It is foolish and naive to believe that Hong Kong would be better off by eliminating all mainland factors. Particularly, since the mainland is the main source of fresh water, electricity and the largest supplier of food to the city," it said.

Protesters block central Hong Kong streets as chaos grips city

Shuttler PV Sindhu on Wednesday advanced further in the ongoing Hong Kong Open after registering a win in the first round of the tournament.

Sindhu defeated South Korea's Kim Ga Eun 21-15, 21-16 to progress further in the competition. The 24-year-old did not waste any time in brushing off her opponents'&nbsp;challenge in the first game and she wrapped it up under 18 minutes. Sindhu carried on with the winning momentum and she wrapped up the second game to record a win in straight games.

Earlier in the day, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/saina-nehwal-makes-first-round-exit-from-hong-kong-open-261705">Saina Nehwal was knocked </a>out of the Hong Kong Open after facing a defeat in the first round. Nehwal was defeated by China`s Cai Yan Yan 13-21, 20-22.

The Chinese made an aggressive start to the match and did not allow Nehwal to get into her groove. After losing the first game, Nehwal tried to make a comeback in the second game, but Cai was up to the task as she wrapped up the match quite comprehensively.

World number nine Nehwal has had a troubled run in this year as she has now faced an exit from a tournament in the first round five times. Earlier this year, Cai Yan Yan had knocked out Nehwal in the first round of the China Open.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Shuttler PV Sindhu on Wednesday advanced further in the ongoing Hong Kong Open after registering a win in the first round of the tournament. Sindhu defeated South Korea's Kim Ga Eun 21-15, 21-16 to progress further in the competition.

Shuttler PV Sindhu on Wednesday advanced further in the ongoing Hong Kong Open after registering a win in the first round of the tournament. Sindhu defeated South Korea's Kim Ga Eun 21-15, 21-16 to progress further in the competition. The 24-year-old did not waste any time in brushing off her opponents' challenge in the first game and she wrapped it up under 18 minutes. Sindhu carried on with the winning momentum and she wrapped up the second game to record a win in straight games. Earlier in the day, Saina Nehwal was knocked out of the Hong Kong Open after facing a defeat in the first round. Nehwal was defeated by China`s Cai Yan Yan 13-21, 20-22. The Chinese made an aggressive start to the match and did not allow Nehwal to get into her groove. After losing the first game, Nehwal tried to make a comeback in the second game, but Cai was up to the task as she wrapped up the match quite comprehensively. World number nine Nehwal has had a troubled run in this year as she has now faced an exit from a tournament in the first round five times. Earlier this year, Cai Yan Yan had knocked out Nehwal in the first round of the China Open.

PV Sindhu advances to second round in Hong Kong Open

Hong Kong Police Fires At Protesters, Targets Journalists While China Refuses To Take Questions.

Gravitas: The Battle Ground That Is  Hong Kong

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