This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-49787134
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Hong Kong protests: China flag desecrated as fresh unrest erupts | Hong Kong protests: China flag desecrated as fresh unrest erupts |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Activists in Hong Kong have desecrated a Chinese flag and vandalised a shopping centre on the 16th straight weekend of anti-government protests. | Activists in Hong Kong have desecrated a Chinese flag and vandalised a shopping centre on the 16th straight weekend of anti-government protests. |
| Escalators and glass panels were targeted at the New Town Plaza in Sha Tin. Police have closed it and fired tear gas at brick-throwing protesters. | Escalators and glass panels were targeted at the New Town Plaza in Sha Tin. Police have closed it and fired tear gas at brick-throwing protesters. |
| Police earlier prevented major unrest on the airport metro system. | Police earlier prevented major unrest on the airport metro system. |
| The protests were sparked by a now-withdrawn extradition bill but morphed into a wider pro-democracy campaign. | The protests were sparked by a now-withdrawn extradition bill but morphed into a wider pro-democracy campaign. |
| Issues such as universal suffrage, a demand for an inquiry into police actions and the alleged involvement of gangs in countering the protests have come to the fore. | Issues such as universal suffrage, a demand for an inquiry into police actions and the alleged involvement of gangs in countering the protests have come to the fore. |
| The campaign, mostly conducted by young people, was peaceful to start with but has become increasingly violent. | The campaign, mostly conducted by young people, was peaceful to start with but has become increasingly violent. |
| The unrest has become the biggest challenge to China's rule since Hong Kong's sovereignty was handed back by Britain in 1997. | The unrest has become the biggest challenge to China's rule since Hong Kong's sovereignty was handed back by Britain in 1997. |
| Hong Kong is part of China, but enjoys "special freedoms". Those are set to expire in 2047, and many in Hong Kong don't want to become "another Chinese city". | Hong Kong is part of China, but enjoys "special freedoms". Those are set to expire in 2047, and many in Hong Kong don't want to become "another Chinese city". |
| What happened on Sunday? | What happened on Sunday? |
| The unsanctioned rally at the New Town Plaza started on a small scale and peacefully. | The unsanctioned rally at the New Town Plaza started on a small scale and peacefully. |
| Video footage then showed a Chinese flag being trampled by protesters before being carried out and thrown into a river. | Video footage then showed a Chinese flag being trampled by protesters before being carried out and thrown into a river. |
| Masked protesters used fire extinguishers to smash the glass of information maps, then sprayed water and threw rubbish bins down escalators. Pro-mainland businesses were reportedly targeted. | Masked protesters used fire extinguishers to smash the glass of information maps, then sprayed water and threw rubbish bins down escalators. Pro-mainland businesses were reportedly targeted. |
| Riot police closed down the mall and the linked metro station in Sha Tin, a city in the New Territories north of Hong Kong Island. | Riot police closed down the mall and the linked metro station in Sha Tin, a city in the New Territories north of Hong Kong Island. |
| Outside, protesters started ripping up pavement bricks and throwing them at police, who fired tear gas in response. | Outside, protesters started ripping up pavement bricks and throwing them at police, who fired tear gas in response. |
| A barricade was set on fire elsewhere in Sha Tin. | |
| The luxury Elements shopping centre in Kowloon was also closed as police and protesters squared off, the South China Morning Post reported. | |
| What of the airport protest? | What of the airport protest? |
| Protester groups online had called for a "stress test" of the airport on Sunday. The airport has become one of the high-profile targets of protesters. | Protester groups online had called for a "stress test" of the airport on Sunday. The airport has become one of the high-profile targets of protesters. |
| But police stepped up security and authorities reduced transport links to head off possible unrest. | But police stepped up security and authorities reduced transport links to head off possible unrest. |
| The Airport Express metro link was open only to passengers boarding at Hong Kong island. | The Airport Express metro link was open only to passengers boarding at Hong Kong island. |
| Only people with flight tickets could board. | Only people with flight tickets could board. |
| More on the Hong Kong protests: | More on the Hong Kong protests: |
| What's the background? | What's the background? |
| Protests began in June in opposition to a proposed bill that would have made it possible for people in Hong Kong to be extradited to mainland China. | Protests began in June in opposition to a proposed bill that would have made it possible for people in Hong Kong to be extradited to mainland China. |
| Critics said they could have faced human rights abuses. | Critics said they could have faced human rights abuses. |
| The bill was initially shelved, and later withdrawn completely, but this has failed to quell the protesters' anger. | The bill was initially shelved, and later withdrawn completely, but this has failed to quell the protesters' anger. |
| Their demands have been rejected by both Beijing and Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam, who on Sunday again vowed to stop the violence. | Their demands have been rejected by both Beijing and Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam, who on Sunday again vowed to stop the violence. |