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Just Earth News | @justearthnews | 01 Sep 2019
Hong Kong City: The Hong Kong Police cracked down on thousands of protesters who defied ban to continue their agitation in the city on Sunday.
Transport to and from Hong Kong International Airport was disrupted for hours on Sunday as protesters barricaded roads, leaving traffic gridlocked and stranding hundreds of tourists at the terminal, reported CNN.
The protests followed a night of violent clashes with police on Saturday, during which protesters threw petrol bombs and set fires and police responded with water cannon and tear gas. Police were also seen rushing into a subway station to make dozens of arrests, reported the American news channel.
It was the 13th weekend of protests in the city.
Images show police hitting people with batons and using pepper spray on a train in Hong Kong's metro, repoted BBC.
"Some radical protestors blocked multiple roads in Tung Chung, set fire to barricades and a national flag. Such acts have paralysed traffic," it said.
The latest round of protests took place just days after Hong Kong police arrested several pro-democracy activists and lawmakers in China's special administrative region.
Since around 5:30 PM, some violent protestors have committed destructive acts extensively inside the Tung Chung MTR station. They dismantled CCTV cameras and turnstiles, smashed glass panes of a service centre and damaged fire facilities therein.
— Hong Kong Police Force (@hkpoliceforce) September 1, 2019
Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Police tweeted: "Since around 5:30 PM, some violent protestors have committed destructive acts extensively inside the Tung Chung MTR station. They dismantled CCTV cameras and turnstiles, smashed glass panes of a service centre and damaged fire facilities therein."
A large group of protestors are still gathering at the airport. Some are blocking roads in the vicinity of the Sky City Interchange and Chek Lap Kok South Road, with numerous water-filled barriers and objects, in an attempt to paralyse traffic.
— Hong Kong Police Force (@hkpoliceforce) September 1, 2019
The police asked protesters to leave the venue.
Hong Kong has been witnessing protests since June over a controversial extradition bill.
The bill has now been suspended.
The anti-government rallies are still taking place in the city for the past few weeks as they have now evolved into a broader pro-democracy movement demanding democratic reform and an investigation into alleged police brutality.
Protests have also taken place at the Hong Kong International Airport and other tourist spots in the city.
The protests are a big challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping who assumed power seven years ago.
The protesters say they are fighting to preserve the “one country, two systems” arrangement and a promise of freedom under which Hong Kong was returned to China as a specially administered region by the British in 1997.
The bill would have allowed criminal suspects to be sent to mainland China for trial if it would have been passed.