Hong Kong International Airport has cancelled departing flights after anti-government protests continue into the fourth day. Thousands have gathered at the airports to demonstrate over claims of police brutality, a planned extradition law and a call for more democracy.
Extremely impressive turnout at Hong Kong airport demo against police violence – location is only spot police haven’t fired tear gas pic.twitter.com/fyvUFwAULn
— Erin Hale (@erinhale) August 12, 2019
The airport authorities said: “Other than departure flights that have completed the check-in process and the arrival flights already heading to Hong Kong, all other flights have been cancelled for the rest of today.”
More than 100 flights which were scheduled after 18:00 local time will now not be departing. Officials have advised people to not travel to the airport but any arrival planes will be landing. Around 75 millions passengers go through the airport last year and it is one of the busiest airports.
Many are there for the actions of the police who were caught on camera on Sunday firing tear gas and non lethal ammunition at close range. One women was caught by the gas and may lose her vision.
Yang Guang, a spokesman for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, said: “Hong Kong’s radical demonstrators have repeatedly used extremely dangerous tools to attack police officers, which already constitutes a serious violent crime, and also shows the first signs of terrorism emerging. This wantonly tramples on Hong Kong’s rule of law and social order.”
On Sunday afternoon there was peaceful protests in the city’s Victoria Park which led to clashes when protesters moved out of the area and marched along a major road despite a police ban. A number of people, including a police officer, were injured in the clashes. Videos on social media also showed officers storming enclosed railway stations and firing tear gas. Footage inside another station showed officers firing non-lethal ammunition at close range.
Protesters want Hong Kong’s chief executive, Carrie Lam, to resign and a free election to replace her. After she said plans for the extradition law are “dead” but protesters want it formally withdrawn.
