Hong Kong Airport reopens a day after 5,000 strong demonstration brought it to a standstill

Authorities at Hong Kong airport today suspended all departure check-ins after pro-democracy protesters blocked the facility for a second day, but some flights were still arriving and taking off.

‘Terminal operations at Hong Kong International Airport have been seriously disrupted as a result of the public assembly,’ the airport authority said in a statement.

‘All check-in service for departure flights has been suspended since 1630hrs (0830 GMT). Other departure and arrival flights for the rest of the day will continue to operate, and airlines will provide arrangements for passengers who have not completed the departure process.’

‘Members of the public are advised not to come to the airport.’

Pro-democracy protesters try to occupy the departures hall during another demonstration at Hong Kong’s international airport today. Hong Kong airport authority has suspended all departure check-ins on a second day due to the demonstration

A tourist (central) gives her luggage to security guards as she tries to enter the departures gate during another demonstration by pro-democracy protesters today. The activists have gathered to denounce police violence and call for democratic reforms

A tourist (central) gives her luggage to security guards as she tries to enter the departures gate during another demonstration by pro-democracy protesters today. The activists have gathered to denounce police violence and call for democratic reforms

Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters (bottom) block access to the departure gates during another demonstration at Hong Kong's international airport today. The airport authority has advised members of the public not to come to the airport

Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters (bottom) block access to the departure gates during another demonstration at Hong Kong’s international airport today. The airport authority has advised members of the public not to come to the airport

Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters (centre) crowd the area in front of the departure gates to block access. The airport re-opened this morning after around 200 flights were cancelled yesterday due to a 5,000-strong protest in the terminal building

Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters (centre) crowd the area in front of the departure gates to block access. The airport re-opened this morning after around 200 flights were cancelled yesterday due to a 5,000-strong protest in the terminal building

A pro-democracy protester holds a placard which lists the protesters five demands to the government. The demonstrators are demanding the city's leader completely withdraw the extradition bill and retract the statement that protesters are 'rioters'

A pro-democracy protester holds a placard which lists the protesters five demands to the government. The demonstrators are demanding the city’s leader completely withdraw the extradition bill and retract the statement that protesters are ‘rioters’

Posters in the airport were calling for demonstrations under the banner: 'an eye for an eye'. The slogan refers to a seriously wounded female protester, who was said to be shot in the eye by the police with a bean bag round during a clash on Sunday. Pictured, a nurse with her one-eye covered takes part in a solidarity protest at the Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong today

Posters in the airport were calling for demonstrations under the banner: ‘an eye for an eye’. The slogan refers to a seriously wounded female protester, who was said to be shot in the eye by the police with a bean bag round during a clash on Sunday. Pictured, a nurse with her one-eye covered takes part in a solidarity protest at the Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong today

The news comes just hours after the airport, one of the world’s busiest, reopened from a temporary shutdown. But hundreds of flights remain cancelled amid calls for fresh pro-democracy action despite yesterday’s crackdown.

Some 5,000 demonstrators descended on the terminal building yesterday to protest against an extradition bill and denounce police violence, forcing the airport’s authority to cancel all flights from early afternoon.

Many of them were wearing an eyepatch in reference to a seriously wounded female protester, who was said to be shot in the eye by the police with a bean bag round during a clash on Sunday. Doctors said the woman could lose her right eyeball, local reports said.

Images of blood pouring from the woman’s face as she lay on a pavement quickly went viral and featured in posters calling for demonstrations under the banner: ‘an eye for an eye’. 

Hong Kong police have also admitted to deploy undercover officers among pro-democracy demonstrators to help catch ‘violent protesters’. 

The statement came after footage of one bleeding demonstrator being pinned down to the ground had gone viral. In the clip, the man was arrested by one uniformed police officer who was aided by two men suspected to be secret policemen dressed as activists with hardhats and black T-shirts.

The city’s leader today warned that protesters were pushing the city down the ‘path of no return’. 

Beijing has also made ominous declarations, branding the anti-extradition bill’s activists, in their their 10th week of protests, ‘mobsters’ and likened them to terrorism.

The financial hub’s leader Carrie Lam said: ‘Violence, no matter if it’s using violence or condoning violence, will push Hong Kong down a path of no return, will plunge Hong Kong society into a very worrying and dangerous situation …

‘The situation in Hong Kong in the past week has made me very worried that we have reached this dangerous situation.’ 

Protesters attend a sit-in against police violence in Hong Kong International Airport today. The city's Beijing-backed leader Carrie Lam today warned that protesters were pushing the city down the 'path of no return' at a press conference

Protesters attend a sit-in against police violence in Hong Kong International Airport today. The city’s Beijing-backed leader Carrie Lam today warned that protesters were pushing the city down the ‘path of no return’ at a press conference

The protesters' other demands include an independent investigation into police's actions during clashes and the establishment of free elections through universal suffrage. Now the city's residents choose their leader from Beijing-approved candidates

The protesters’ other demands include launching an independent investigation into alleged police violence and establishing free elections through universal suffrage. Now the city’s residents choose their leader from Beijing-approved candidates

At Hong Kong airport, operations resumed early on Tuesday morning, a day after thousands of protesters converged on it. But the chaos was far from over, with a massive backlog of flights to clear and the check-ins suspended again this afternoon

At Hong Kong airport, operations resumed early on Tuesday morning, a day after thousands of protesters converged on it. But the chaos was far from over, with a massive backlog of flights to clear and the check-ins suspended again this afternoon

The Hong Kong police attempted to fend off criticism yesterday after being accused of using excessive violence during clashes on Sunday. Online footage shows officers shooting projectiles within a close range to protesters at a subway station

The Hong Kong police attempted to fend off criticism yesterday after being accused of using excessive violence during clashes on Sunday. Online footage shows officers shooting projectiles within a close range to protesters at a subway station

Protesters sleep on the floor at the Hong Kong International Airport on Tuesday amid calls for fresh action today

Protesters sleep on the floor at the Hong Kong International Airport on Tuesday amid calls for fresh action today

Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam is pictured speaking today. Lam told reporters that dialogue would only begin when the violence stopped. She reiterated her support for the police and said they had had to make on-the-spot decisions

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam is pictured speaking today. Lam told reporters that dialogue would only begin when the violence stopped. She reiterated her support for the police and said they had had to make on-the-spot decisions

Anti-government protesters use trolleys to set up barricades in front of security gates during a demonstration at Hong Kong airport on Tuesday, ignoring the latest warnings from Lam and Beijing. Beijing has also made ominous declarations, branding the anti-extradition bill's activists, in their their 10th week of protests, 'mobsters' and likened them to terrorism

Anti-government protesters use trolleys to set up barricades in front of security gates during a demonstration at Hong Kong airport on Tuesday, ignoring the latest warnings from Lam and Beijing. Beijing has also made ominous declarations, branding the anti-extradition bill’s activists, in their their 10th week of protests, ‘mobsters’ and likened them to terrorism

Anti-government protesters prepare to stage another sit-in today as they use baggage trolleys to blockade the airport

Anti-government protesters prepare to stage another sit-in today as they use baggage trolleys to blockade the airport

Lam, who faced fierce questioning from local reporters and at one point appeared to be on the verge of tears, appealed for calm.

‘Take a minute to think, look at our city, our home, do you all really want to see it pushed into an abyss,’ Lam said, although she again refused to make any concessions to the protesters. 

At Hong Kong airport, operations resumed early on Tuesday morning, a day after thousands of protesters converged on it.

But the chaos was far from over, with a massive backlog of flights to clear.

A few hours after Lam’s press conference, thousands of protesters returned to Hong Kong airport with many sitting down in front of security gates at the departure hall.

‘I want to shut down the airport just like yesterday so most of the departure flights will be cancelled,’ a 21-year-old student who gave his surname as Kwok told AFP at the rally.

The protesters set up a long barricade made of luggage trolleys at one of the main security gates, then stood up to block passengers who sought to get through.

Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong’s flagship airline, on Tuesday morning listed more than 200 flight cancellations and urged customers to postpone non-essential travel from Hong Kong.

Frank Filser, 53, was struggling to reschedule a flight back to Germany to visit his father who has terminal cancer.

But he said he sympathised with the protesters despite the disruption.

‘They fight for Hong Kong and that’s their view,’ he said.

‘Anytime I can go back to Germany, but what about the people who grew up here? This is their home.’

Only a handful of protesters remained at the airport and it was unclear how many would respond to calls on social media to return later in the day.

Many of the posters and artwork the protesters had hung throughout the airport on Monday were taken down, but graffiti – some reading ‘an eye for an eye’ – could still be seen in several places.

The protesters adopted the slogan after a woman suffered a serious facial injury that reportedly caused her to lose the vision in one eye at a demonstration that turned violent on Sunday night.

The demonstrators have accused police of causing the injury by firing a bean-bag round, and cite the case as evidence of what they say has been an excessive and disproportionate response by police to their protests.   

Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific today said it had suspended with immediate effect on Tuesday a second officer operating flight CX216 for misuse of company information, and had also commenced internal disciplinary proceedings.

The flight was on Monday, it said in an emailed statement to Reuters. 

The airline company yesterday warned its staff that they could be fired if they ‘support or participate in illegal protests’ as the airline comes under pressure from Beijing.

The warning follows new regulations imposed by China’s aviation regulator, which requires the airline company to submit manifests of staff on flights to the mainland or through its airspace.

Cathay Pacific said on Saturday it had suspended a pilot charged with rioting and sacked two ground employees for misconduct in cases that are apparently related to the ongoing protests.    

 

China's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs office today said the city had reached a critical juncture and after police had made a show of demonstrating a powerful water cannon. One protester is seen accusing police of using violence

Monday’s rally came as China’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs office said the city had reached a critical juncture and after police had made a show of demonstrating a powerful water cannon. One protester is seen accusing police of using violence

The protests began in opposition to a bill that would have allowed extraditions to the mainland, but quickly evolved into a broader bid to reverse a slide of rights and freedoms in the southern Chinese city. 

The demonstrations have become increasingly violent, with police using tear gas and rubber bullets, and protesters sometimes hurling bricks and bottles.

Authorities in Beijing on Monday slammed violent protesters who threw petrol bombs at police officers, linking them to ‘terrorism’.

‘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,’ said Yang Guang, spokesman for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council.

Hours later, two state media outlets ran videos showing armoured personnel and troop carriers purportedly driving to Shenzhen, which borders Hong Kong.

China’s state-run media on Tuesday then sought to ramp up the pressure.

All remaining flights out of Hong Kong International Airport were cancelled on Monday after protesters swarmed to a terminal building to stage a sit-in

All remaining flights out of Hong Kong International Airport were cancelled on Monday after protesters swarmed to a terminal building to stage a sit-in

Protesters started three days of rallies at the city's busy airport on Friday

Protesters started three days of rallies at the city’s busy airport on Friday

‘Black-clad mobsters have created an atmosphere of terror on the Hong Kong streets,’ the official Xinhua news agency said in a commentary.

A senior official in the administration of US President Donald Trump on Monday urged ‘all sides’ to avoid violence in Hong Kong.

‘Societies are best served when diverse political views are respected and can be freely and peacefully expressed,’ the official said on condition of anonymity.     

Beijing calls protesters ‘mobsters’ and links them to terror: 

State media described the protesters on Tuesday as ‘mobsters‘, warning they must never be appeased and raising the spectre of mainland security forces intervening to quash them.

On Monday, Beijing described unrest and clashes in Hong Kong – which started as opposition to a proposed extradition law but morphed into calls for democratic reform – as ‘terrorism emerging’. 

The official state news agency Xinhua warned in a commentary Tuesday that ‘violent radicals’ were pushing Hong Kong into an ‘abyss’ and warned there should be no compromise to their demands.

‘Any connivance or support for the mobsters, any appeasement of them, or sophistry and excuses for them are an insult and defamation of the Hong Kong police force guarding their homeland,’ the commentary said, adding that the unrest posed ‘great harm to Hong Kong’s overall interests’.

The nationalistic tabloid The Global Times said the ‘most extreme demonstrators have been attacking the police and using increasingly dangerous weapons’.

‘Their hysterical purpose is to paralyse the SAR government and combat the authority of the police,’ the newspaper said in a commentary.

On its nightly news broadcast on Monday evening, state broadcaster CCTV called the protests ‘extreme acts of violence (which are) tantamount to blatant murder’.

‘Those Hong Kong chaotic elements are a sludgy, muddy water in the historical torrent, which will be cleaned up,’ the news anchor said.

In a video posted on its Weibo channel, a CCTV anchor warned viewers: ‘When dealing with terrorism, there is no soft hand.’ 

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