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Flash-Mob Protests Disrupt Business and Transit Across Hong Kong Flash-Mob Protests Disrupt Business and Transit Across Hong Kong
(about 2 hours later)
Thousands of rowdy protesters fanned out across Hong Kong in flash-mob gatherings on Sunday, the first significant unrest in the city since it was convulsed by violence a week earlier over opposition to a ban on face masks at public gatherings. Thousands of masked protesters fanned out across Hong Kong in flash-mob gatherings on Sunday, the first significant unrest in the city since it was convulsed by violence a week earlier over opposition to a ban on face masks at public gatherings.
The unrest on Sunday was generally less organized than previous protests in a movement that has now roiled the semiautonomous Chinese territory for 19 straight weekends. But it encompassed more than half of the city’s 18 districts and included attacks on the subway system and on businesses that protesters perceive to be supportive of Beijing. The unrest on Sunday was less organized than previous protests in a movement that has roiled the semiautonomous Chinese territory for 19 straight weekends. But it encompassed at least 10 of the city’s 18 districts and included attacks on the subway system and on businesses that protesters perceive to be supportive of Beijing. The police force said a protester had stabbed one of its officers in the neck.
The seemingly spontaneous gatherings intended to snarl traffic and disrupt commerce were coordinated on the fly by thousands of protesters connected through social media and encrypted messaging apps. The rowdy and seemingly spontaneous gatherings — coordinated via social media and encrypted messaging apps — highlighted the continuing opposition to the unpopular ban on wearing face masks and capped a dramatic week in China’s relationship with the United States.
The unrest also highlighted continuing opposition to the unpopular ban on wearing face masks, which are frequently donned by demonstrators, and capped a dramatic week in China’s relationship with the United States.
President Trump said on Friday that the two countries had reached an interim trade deal, offering a temporary détente in a rancorous dispute that has rattled investors, lawmakers and businesses.President Trump said on Friday that the two countries had reached an interim trade deal, offering a temporary détente in a rancorous dispute that has rattled investors, lawmakers and businesses.
Relations between China and the United States were further strained last weekend, when a Houston Rockets executive unwittingly set off a geopolitical incident with a post on Twitter that supported Hong Kong’s protest movement and infuriated millions of people on the Chinese mainland. Beijing initially fanned nationalistic outrage, but later moved to tamp down public anger at the N.B.A. amid concerns that it was damaging the country’s international reputation.Relations between China and the United States were further strained last weekend, when a Houston Rockets executive unwittingly set off a geopolitical incident with a post on Twitter that supported Hong Kong’s protest movement and infuriated millions of people on the Chinese mainland. Beijing initially fanned nationalistic outrage, but later moved to tamp down public anger at the N.B.A. amid concerns that it was damaging the country’s international reputation.
The demonstrations in Hong Kong on Sunday followed a day of smaller gatherings, as well as vandalism and arson across the city that targeted government offices, subway stations, and several banks and shops. On Sunday, masked protesters blocked roads across the city, vandalized a train station and spray painted antigovernment graffiti inside shopping malls. The protests began suddenly, after a morning of relative calm in the city, and had been promoted on social media under the theme “blossom everywhere.” The demonstrations in Hong Kong on Sunday followed a day of mostly smaller gatherings, as well as vandalism and arson across the city that targeted government offices, subway stations, and several banks and shops. On Sunday, masked protesters blocked roads, broke streetlights, vandalized a train station and spray-painted antigovernment graffiti inside shopping malls.
The police made several arrests and warned members of the public to “mind their personal safety and leave the scene immediately in case of danger,” while the city’s beleaguered subway operator suspended some train services. The entire train system had already been scheduled to close earlier than usual on Sunday night. On Sunday evening, the Hong Kong police said in a statement that one of its officers had been stabbed in the neck by a protester in the Kwun Tong district, and that he was conscious when he arrived at a hospital. The officer’s medical condition was unclear.
The protests began suddenly on Sunday afternoon, after a morning of relative calm in the city, and had been promoted on social media under the theme “blossom everywhere.”
“The more widespread today’s operation is, the more difficult it is for the police to chase us down,” Andy Wong, a 19-year-old university student majoring in Chinese literature, said on the fringes of a flash-mob gathering in the Sha Tin district on Sunday afternoon.
“Our flexibility can help minimize the number of arrests today,” he added. “The impact on the Hong Kong government is also greater because of the wider scope.”
The police made several arrests and fired tear gas, while the city’s beleaguered subway operator suspended some train services. The entire train network had already been scheduled to close earlier than usual on Sunday night.
Some protesters who were demonstrating this weekend said they were expressing continued opposition to the face-mask ban, which took effect last weekend and which makes covering one’s face at a public demonstration punishable by up to a year in prison. The city’s embattled leader, Carrie Lam, drew on rare emergency powers to invoke the ban this month, prompting a wave of violent protests across the city.Some protesters who were demonstrating this weekend said they were expressing continued opposition to the face-mask ban, which took effect last weekend and which makes covering one’s face at a public demonstration punishable by up to a year in prison. The city’s embattled leader, Carrie Lam, drew on rare emergency powers to invoke the ban this month, prompting a wave of violent protests across the city.
Other protesters said that they hoped to send a message to Mr. Trump, who told reporters at the White House on Friday that Hong Kong’s protest movement had “toned down a lot from the initial days of a number of months ago” and would eventually ”take care of itself.” Other protesters said that they were disappointed in President Trump for telling reporters at the White House on Friday that Hong Kong’s protest movement had “toned down a lot from the initial days of a number of months ago” and would eventually ”take care of itself.”
Doris Ha, 70, said at a demonstration in the Wan Chai district of Hong Kong on Saturday that she was “disappointed” by Mr. Trump’s suggestion that the protests were slowing down. Fanny Fung, a retiree who joined a demonstration in the Wan Chai district of Hong Kong on Saturday, said she had “never placed high hopes” on Mr. Trump. “He only thinks about his interests, and he’s only seizing on Hong Kong to bargain with China,” she said.
Another retiree at the demonstration, Fanny Fung, said she had “never placed high hopes on him,” referring to the American president. “He only thinks about his interests, and he’s only seizing on Hong Kong to bargain with China.”
In a video circulating widely on Sunday afternoon, a masked protester is seen taking a flying leap to kick a riot officer, who had apparently been trying to arrest another protester near a shopping center in the Mong Kok neighborhood of Kowloon. After the officer fell to the ground, two additional protesters surround him and beat him with an object. It was unclear exactly when the video had been recorded.
The protest movement began in June in opposition to contentious legislation, since shelved, that would have allowed extraditions from Hong Kong to the Chinese mainland, where the courts are controlled by the Communist Party. It has since expanded to include a wide range of demands for police accountability and greater democracy.The protest movement began in June in opposition to contentious legislation, since shelved, that would have allowed extraditions from Hong Kong to the Chinese mainland, where the courts are controlled by the Communist Party. It has since expanded to include a wide range of demands for police accountability and greater democracy.
Many protesters in the movement have consistently appealed to the United States government for support. Notably, thousands marched to the United States Consulate in central Hong Kong last month to drum up support for a bill about the city that is moving through the American Congress.Many protesters in the movement have consistently appealed to the United States government for support. Notably, thousands marched to the United States Consulate in central Hong Kong last month to drum up support for a bill about the city that is moving through the American Congress.
The draft legislation would penalize officials in mainland China and Hong Kong who suppress freedoms in the city, and require an annual justification for why the United States should offer Hong Kong special trade and business privileges. The draft legislation would penalize officials in mainland China and Hong Kong who suppress freedoms in the city, and require an annual justification for why the United States should offer Hong Kong special trade and business privileges. It is scheduled to be considered on the House floor this week.
The bill, officially called the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019, is scheduled to be considered on the House floor this week.
One of the bill’s vocal supporters in Congress, Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, traveled to Hong Kong this weekend and met with people in the protest movement. Mr. Cruz was scheduled to meet with Mrs. Lam, but he said on Saturday that she had scrapped the meeting after he refused her request to keep their conversation confidential.One of the bill’s vocal supporters in Congress, Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, traveled to Hong Kong this weekend and met with people in the protest movement. Mr. Cruz was scheduled to meet with Mrs. Lam, but he said on Saturday that she had scrapped the meeting after he refused her request to keep their conversation confidential.
“Ms. Lam’s canceling the meeting is not a sign of strength. It’s a sign of weakness,” Reuters quoted Mr. Cruz as saying on Saturday. “It’s a sign of fear of the protesters in the streets of Hong Kong.” “Ms. Lam’s canceling the meeting is not a sign of strength. It’s a sign of weakness,” Reuters quoted Mr. Cruz as saying on Saturday. “It’s a sign of fear of the protesters in the streets of Hong Kong.” Mrs. Lam’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Mrs. Lam’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday. Some of Sunday’s flash-mob gatherings descended into tense standoffs between protesters and police officers. At one of them, a police officer briefly pointed a gun at protesters who were trying to block a main road into Sha Tin.
Elaine Yu, Tiffany May and Ezra Cheung contributed reporting. In a video circulating widely on Sunday afternoon, a masked protester is seen taking a flying leap to kick a riot officer, who was apparently trying to arrest another protester near a shopping center in the working-class Mong Kok neighborhood.
After the officer falls to the ground, the footage shows, two additional protesters surround him and beat him with an object. It was unclear exactly when the video had been recorded.
Protesters also vandalized a range of targets across the city on Sunday, including a Bank of China branch, offices of pro-Beijing political parties and at least two Starbucks.
Starbucks became a target for protesters when Annie Wu, the daughter of the founder of Maxim’s, a conglomerate that licenses the coffee chain in the city, called protesters “radical” in a September speech at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.
On Sunday, protesters broke into a shuttered Starbucks at a mall in the Tai Koo district and spray-painted “black heart” on its wooden countertop — a play on “beautiful heart,” a direct translation of Maxim’s name in Chinese.
Ben Chan, 47, who lives near the mall, said that the vandalism didn’t bother or surprise him, and that he supported the young protesters behind it.
“Lots of people here support democracy,” he said. “The kids are well educated, and they fight for what they want.”
Reporting was contributed by Austin Ramzy, Elaine Yu, Tiffany May and Ezra Cheung.