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Second night of tear gas as Hong Kong protesters defy China warnings

By AFP
August 05, 2019

HONG KONG: Riot police fired tear gas at pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong Sunday evening during a second consecutive night of clashes, as China delivered fresh warnings over the unrest battering the city.

The semi-autonomous southern Chinese city is reeling from two months of protests and violence triggered by opposition to a planned extradition law that has evolved into a wider movement for democratic reforms. In the latest unrest, police fired brief volleys of tear gas at protesters who were approaching their lines in the well-heeled Sheung Wan district. The clashes were short-lived as protesters rushed into the subway and moved to a new location — the bustling shopping district of Causeway Bay where multiple roads were occupied. The latest unrest came as China’s official Xinhua news agency published a new commentary on Sunday saying “ugly forces” were threatening the country’s “bottom line”.

“The central government will not sit idly by and let this situation continue,” the agency wrote. Hong Kong’s protests constitute the most significant popular revolt in decades, directly challenging Beijing’s rule as well as channelling rage at both the local leaders and police. But they have had little luck persuading their opponents who have only hardened their stance. More than 200 protesters have been arrested — dozens charged with rioting — while the Chinese military has said it is ready to quell the “intolerable” unrest if requested.