The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Flights cancelled as protesters besiege Hong Kong airport
Chaos as pro-democracy activists invade main terminal
One of the world’s busiest airports cancelled all flights after thousands of Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters crowded into the main terminal.
Hong Kong International Airport said in a statement that Monday’s demonstration “seriously disrupted” airport operations.
Hong Kong has experienced more than two months of mass protests calling for democratic reforms and an independent inquiry into police conduct, with both the protesters and police adopting ever-more extreme tactics.
In Beijing, the Cabinet’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office issued a statement saying the situation in Hong Kong was “beginning to show the sprouts of terrorism” and constituted an “existential threat” to the population of Hong Kong.
“One must take resolute action toward this violent criminality, showing no leniency or mercy,” said the statement, attributed to spokesman Yang Guang.
“Hong Kong has reached an inflection point where all those who are concerned about Hong Kong’s future must say “no” to law breakers and “no” to those engaged in violence.”
Only flights that had already begun boarding or those cleared for landing were allowed to use runways at the airport.
“All other flights have been cancelled for the rest of today,” the statement said.
A massive traffic jam soon formed on the highway leading back to Hong Kong’s city centre.
Some protesters were seen walking toward the airport amid the stifling heat.
Earlier on Monday, Hong Kong police showed off water cannons that could be deployed in the case of future demonstrations, a development which Amnesty International has warned could lead to serious injuries if misused within the densely-populated city’s confined spaces.
Legislators and journalists were invited to witness the display of extreme crowd control tactics, which came after a weekend of protests at the airport and on the streets of one of the city’s main shopping districts.
During the weekend protests, website Hong Kong Free Press showed footage of one arrest that appeared to include officers in plain clothes pinning a demonstrator pressed to the ground.
The young man, who said his name was Chow Ka-lok and asked for a lawyer, was shown with a bleeding head wound and said he had a broken tooth.
Police have also reported injuries among their ranks, including eye irritation from laser pointers, burns from petrol bombs and bruises and cuts from flying debris.
Protesters hurled bricks at officers and ignored warnings to leave before tear gas was deployed in the Sham Shui Po area, police said, calling a march there an “unauthorised assembly”.
Tear gas was also deployed in central Hong Kong on both sides of Victoria Harbour, in the Tsim Sha Tsui area on the Kowloon side and in Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island.
At the airport, a flight attendant protesting on his day off, who gave only his surname, Lau, to avoid repercussions from his employer, said heavy-handed police tactics had alienated some people.
“The police have told a lot of lies to Hong Kong people. We cannot believe them anymore. We have to come here to protest,” Mr Lau said.