Thousands protest in Hong Kong as China media issues warning

Thousands of protesters took to Hong Kong’s streets on Sunday after violent clashes between anti-government protesters and police on Saturday amid a warning from China’s official news agency.

The Chinese-controlled city has been rocked by months of protests against a proposed bill to allow people to be extradited to stand trial in mainland China, and a general strike aimed at bringing the city to a halt is planned for Monday.

Police said early on Sunday they had arrested more than 20 people for offences overnight including unlawful assembly and assault.

China’s official news agency Xinhua wrote on Sunday that the “central government will not sit idly by and let this situation continue. We firmly believe that Hong Kong will be able to overcome the difficulties and challenges ahead”.

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On Saturday police fired multiple tear gas rounds in confrontations with black-clad activists in the city’s Kowloon area. On Sunday, thousands of demonstrators marched peacefully in the town of Tseung Kwan O in the New Territories brandishing colourful banners and leaflets.

Dressed in black the protesters cheered as they called for a mass strike across Hong Kong on Monday.

Protesters on Saturday set fires in the streets, outside a police station and in rubbish bins, and blocked the entrance to the Cross-Harbour Tunnel, cutting a major artery linking Hong Kong island and the Kowloon peninsula.

Major shops in the popular tourist and commercial area Nathan Road, normally packed on a Saturday, were closed.

What started as an angry response to the now suspended extradition bill, has expanded to demands for greater democracy and the resignation of leader Carrie Lam.

The protests have become the most serious political crisis in Hong Kong since it returned to Chinese rule 22 years ago after being governed by Britain.

Thousands of civil servants joined in the anti-government protests on Friday for the first time since they started in June, defying a warning from authorities to remain politically neutral.

The protests mark the biggest popular challenge to Chinese leader Xi Jinping since he took office in 2012.

Hong Kong has been allowed to retain extensive freedoms, such as an independent judiciary, but many residents see the extradition bill as the latest step in a relentless march toward mainland control.

Months of demonstrations are taking a growing toll on the city’s economy, as local shoppers and tourists avoid parts of one of the world’s most famous shopping destinations. – Reuters