The Latest: Lam says Hong Kong on verge of danger

HONG KONG (AP) — The Latest on the protests in Hong Kong (all times local):

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam says recent protests have pushed the city to the "verge of a very dangerous situation" but the government will be resolute in ensuring public order.

A tired looking Lam delivered the remarks at a news conference Monday morning that follows weeks of daily marches and demonstrations that have frequently devolved into violent confrontations, with police deploying tear gas rubber bullets and other crowd control measures.

Lam said the violence and disruptions were creating anxiety among citizens and now was the time to set aside differences and "rally together."

Protesters were blocking trains during the morning rush hour and called for a citywide strike by workers. More than 100 flights were cancelled at the city's airport, and Hong Kong media say that the airport express train service has been suspended.

Hong Kong's leader will speak to the media as protesters block morning trains and call for a citywide strike by workers.

The office of Chief Executive Carrie Lam said she would hold a news conference at 10 a.m. Monday.

The strike has already taken hold at the airport, where 100 flights have been cancelled. Hong Kong media say that the airport express train service has been suspended.

Protesters used a now-familiar tactic of blocking train doors from closing to disrupt the morning commute.

The actions follow a weekend of clashes between protesters and police. The protesters are demanding the dissolution of the legislature, an investigation into police use of force at protests and full democracy for the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

Hong Kong media say more than 100 flights have been cancelled at the city's airport as a general strike called to support pro-democracy protests gets underway.

Public broadcaster RTHK said Monday that domestic carriers such as Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines were the most affected.

A citywide strike and demonstrations in seven districts in Hong Kong have been called for Monday afternoon. They follow a weekend of clashes with police on the streets.

Hong Kong has seen protests all summer. A movement against an extradition bill that would have allowed residents to be sent to mainland China to stand trial has expanded into demands for an investigation into alleged police abuse at protests and the dissolution of the legislature.

Protesters in Hong Kong have snarled the morning rush hour by blocking train and platform doors to prevent trains from leaving stations.

Subway and train operator MTR said Monday that service had been partially suspended on four lines because of a number of door obstruction incidents.

It's the third time in three weeks that protesters have disrupted train service. The action followed a weekend of clashes with police on the streets and ahead of a general strike and more demonstrations called for Monday afternoon.

Hong Kong has seen protests all summer. A movement against an extradition bill that would have allowed residents to be sent to mainland China to stand trial has expanded into demands for an investigation into alleged police abuse at protests and the dissolution of the legislature. </s> At least 100 flights were cancelled and subway service widely disrupted in Hong Kong on Monday as a pro-democracy movement called for a general strike. Airport express train service was also suspended.

Cathay Pacific and other domestic carriers such as Hong Kong Airlines were the most affected by the flight cancellations, public broadcaster RTHK said.

A citywide strike and demonstrations in seven districts in Hong Kong have been called for Monday afternoon. They follow a weekend of clashes with police on the streets.

Hong Kong has seen protests all summer. A movement against an extradition bill that would have allowed residents to be sent to mainland China to stand trial has expanded into demands for an investigation into alleged police abuse at protests and the dissolution of the legislature. Protesters also want full democracy for the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

Protesters snarled the morning rush hour by blocking train and platform doors to prevent trains from leaving stations.

Subway and train operator MTR said Monday that service had been partially suspended on five lines because of a number of door obstruction incidents.

It's the third time in three weeks that protesters have disrupted train service.

Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam called a morning news conference ahead of what could be a chaotic day in her city. </s> Commuters are reflected on a door panel of a subway train as they wait for the resumption of the services after being disrupted by protesters at Fortress Hill MTR station in Hong Kong, Monday, Aug. 5, 2019. Protesters snarled the morning rush hour by blocking train and platform doors to prevent trains from leaving stations. Subway and train operator MTR said Monday that service had been partially suspended on five lines because of a number of door obstruction incidents. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

HONG KONG (AP) — The Latest on the protests in Hong Kong (all times local):

Droves of protesters have filled public parks and squares in several Hong Kong districts to take part in a general strike.

Following a weekend of protests, demonstrators disrupted subways, air traffic and weekday activities Monday in an effort to bring more attention to their demands.

Hong Kong has seen pro-democracy protests for about two months.

Police in at least one district have used tear gas to disperse crowds.

Protesters dressed in black sat in the shade of office buildings in the city’s business district with open umbrellas and posters condemning the police as “gangsters.”

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam says she has no plans to resign over the civil unrest targeting her administration.

Lam said she took responsibility for problems as chief executive and was determined to see the situation resolved.

She spoke at a news conference Monday as protesters blocked morning trains and called for a citywide strike. More than 100 flights were canceled.

Lam said the latest protests had moved from extradition legislation, which her administration had shelved, and now were operating with “ulterior motives” targeting Hong Kong’s prosperity and security.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam says recent protests have pushed the city to the “verge of a very dangerous situation” but the government will be resolute in ensuring public order.

A tired looking Lam delivered the remarks at a news conference Monday morning that follows weeks of daily marches and demonstrations that have frequently devolved into violent confrontations, with police deploying tear gas rubber bullets and other crowd control measures.

Lam said the violence and disruptions were creating anxiety among citizens and now was the time to set aside differences and “rally together.”

Protesters were blocking trains during the morning rush hour and called for a citywide strike by workers. More than 100 flights were cancelled at the city’s airport, and Hong Kong media say that the airport express train service has been suspended.

Hong Kong’s leader will speak to the media as protesters block morning trains and call for a citywide strike by workers.

The office of Chief Executive Carrie Lam said she would hold a news conference at 10 a.m. Monday.

The strike has already taken hold at the airport, where 100 flights have been cancelled. Hong Kong media say that the airport express train service has been suspended.

Protesters used a now-familiar tactic of blocking train doors from closing to disrupt the morning commute.

The actions follow a weekend of clashes between protesters and police. The protesters are demanding the dissolution of the legislature, an investigation into police use of force at protests and full democracy for the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

Hong Kong media say more than 100 flights have been cancelled at the city’s airport as a general strike called to support pro-democracy protests gets underway.

Public broadcaster RTHK said Monday that domestic carriers such as Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines were the most affected.

A citywide strike and demonstrations in seven districts in Hong Kong have been called for Monday afternoon. They follow a weekend of clashes with police on the streets.

Hong Kong has seen protests all summer. A movement against an extradition bill that would have allowed residents to be sent to mainland China to stand trial has expanded into demands for an investigation into alleged police abuse at protests and the dissolution of the legislature.

Protesters in Hong Kong have snarled the morning rush hour by blocking train and platform doors to prevent trains from leaving stations.

Subway and train operator MTR said Monday that service had been partially suspended on four lines because of a number of door obstruction incidents.

It’s the third time in three weeks that protesters have disrupted train service. The action followed a weekend of clashes with police on the streets and ahead of a general strike and more demonstrations called for Monday afternoon.

Hong Kong has seen protests all summer. A movement against an extradition bill that would have allowed residents to be sent to mainland China to stand trial has expanded into demands for an investigation into alleged police abuse at protests and the dissolution of the legislature. </s> Protesters with makeshift shields pass through a subway station on their way to a police station in Hong Kong on Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019. Demonstrators in Hong Kong moved en masse to a luxury shopping district Sunday evening after riot police used tear gas to clear out an area they were previously occupying, as the 2-month-old protest movement showed no signs of easing. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam maintained that she has no plans to resign in the face of a turbulent pro-democracy movement that held a general strike Monday, leading to more than 100 flight cancellations and major traffic disruptions.

The semi-autonomous Chinese city is on “the verge of a very dangerous situation,” said Lam, who said current protests were operating with “ulterior motives” that threaten Hong Kong’s prosperity and security.

“I don’t think at this point in time, resignation of myself or some of my colleagues would provide a better solution,” the chief executive said at a news conference.

Protesters snarled the morning rush hour by blocking train and platform doors, preventing subway and commuter rail trains from leaving their stations. After demonstrators in face masks refused to move from train entry points in several stations, and commuters found themselves stranded on crowded platforms and some required medical attention.

More than 100 flights have been cancelled out of Hong Kong after a large number of airport employees called in sick in apparent participation in the general strike, Hong Kong media reported. Public broadcaster RTHK said Cathay Pacific and other domestic carriers such as Hong Kong Airlines were the most affected. Airport express train service was also suspended.

“Too much. Why do they have to create trouble for people not involved in their cause?” said 52-year-old John Chan, whose flight to Singapore was cancelled. “Hong Kong is sinking. The government, police and protest people have to stop fighting and give us a break.”

The citywide strike and demonstrations in seven Hong Kong districts moved forward Monday following a weekend of clashes between protesters and riot police on the streets. They are part of a summer of fiery demonstrations that began in June against proposed extradition legislation that would have allowed residents to be sent to mainland China to stand trial.

While the government has since suspended the bill, protesters have pressed on with broader calls for democratic reforms and an investigation into alleged police brutality.

The Communist Party-led central government in Beijing has condemned what they call violent and radical protesters who have vandalized the Chinese national anthem and national flag on the sidelines of major rallies. China has accused unnamed “foreign forces” of inflaming the demonstrations out of a desire to contain the country’s development.

On Chinese state broadcaster CCTV’s daily noon news report, an anchor read aloud from a strongly-worded editorial titled “The Chaos in Hong Kong Must Not Continue.”

“We warn those maniacs and thugs who intend to continue to mess up Hong Kong by holding to a fantasy that you must pay a price for your savage revenge,” the editorial said. “So please become aware of your errors, turn back from your incorrect path and set down the butcher’s knives.”

A former British colony, Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997 under the framework of “one country, two systems,” which promised the city certain democratic freedoms not afforded to the mainland. But some Hong Kong residents feel that Beijing has been increasingly encroaching on their freedoms in recent years.

Claudia Mo, a pro-democracy lawmaker, said Beijing should consider engaging with protesters through Lam.

“We hope the learned people in Beijing would at least deliver some sincerity by suggesting via Carrie Lam, ‘Okay, you guys want democracy, perhaps we can talk,'” Mo said Monday. “We can talk — just three words. And maybe that can help appease the society.”

Bodeen reported from Beijing. Associated Press journalist Royston Chan in Hong Kong contributed to this report. </s> Hong Kong’s embattled Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Monday that recent protests have escalated beyond their original demands, pushing the city to a “very dangerous situation.”

“Some radical elements have changed the nature of the protests: some defaced the national emblem, and others took down a national flag and threw it into the sea. They said they want to foment revolution, to ‘liberate’ Hong Kong,” Lam said.

“These actions far exceeded the original political demands. These unlawful actions challenge national sovereignty and threaten One Country, Two Systems, and will destroy Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability.”

Accompanied by her top officials, Lam spoke at a press conference on Monday after two weeks of silence. Her remarks came after days of violent clashes and coincided with a general strike, which saw protesters disrupting transport across the city.

Lam condemned acts of violence and described protesters as using a “scorched earth” strategy.

“This type of method – which some have described as ‘mutual destruction’ – will push Hong Kong onto a path of no return,” she said. “Do we want to use the lives of seven million people and the future of Hong Kong as betting chips?”

Lam added that violence will only make the situation more intractable: “Our society has become unsafe and unstable. These are not things that can be easily rebuilt in a short time.”

As for the ongoing strike, the chief executive said that strikers should respect other people’s right to work. “Many workers live paycheck to paycheck, and those affected are grassroots families. There are many who want to go to work but were affected by the non-cooperation movement.”

She said her administration was closely monitoring the situation, and will host cross-departmental press conferences when needed.

Police will also host daily press briefings – a move reminiscent of the 2014 pro-democracy Umbrella Movement where the government adopted the same policy.

Asked why she made no public appearances for two weeks, Lam said that radical protesters would target her wherever she went and engage in “intimidation and bullying.” Event organisers would tell her not to attend, since her appearance would result in increased insurance premiums and manpower needs, Lam added.

When asked about the protesters’ five core demands, Lam reiterated that the extradition amendment bill was “suspended” and that the Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC) has already begun an investigation into recent protests. Demonstrators, however, have demanded the bill be fully axed and an investigation be fully independent of the police.

#HongKong's Carrie Lam says her extradition bill plan was well-intended but failed after the proposal was "smeared" and the gov't failed to explain it. #HongKong #NoToChinaExtradition #china #antiELAB https://t.co/xTFFQ9TiE5 pic.twitter.com/5Ql8OKHmyG — Hong Kong Free Press (@HongKongFP) August 5, 2019

She added that she had no power to unilaterally order the release of arrested protesters, as the authority lies with prosecutors at the Department of Justice.

Top officials speak

Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung also expressed regret regarding the general strike, saying that “strikes and violence bring no benefit to Hong Kong at all.”

He called on the public to remain steadfast at their posts, and urged employers to be flexible in their treatment of employees who are late to work.

Finance chief Paul Chan reported that Hong Kong’s GDP growth in the second quarter of the year was similar to that of the first quarter. However, if there was negative growth in the third quarter, the city’s economy would be in decline.

“Hong Kong’s economy is facing a challenging environment with a lot of downward pressure. With the US-China trade frictions heating up, external uncertainties and internal difficulties, Hong Kong’s local economy has been affected by recent events,” Chan said. </s> Protesters with makeshift shields pass through a subway station on their way to a police station in Hong Kong on Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019. Demonstrators in Hong Kong moved en masse to a luxury shopping district Sunday evening after riot police used tear gas to clear out an area they were previously occupying, as the 2-month-old protest movement showed no signs of easing. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

HONG KONG (AP) — At least 100 flights were cancelled and subway service widely disrupted in Hong Kong on Monday as a pro-democracy movement called for a general strike.

Cathay Pacific and other domestic carriers such as Hong Kong Airlines were the most affected by the flight cancellations, public broadcaster RTHK said. Airport express train service was also suspended.

A citywide strike and demonstrations in seven districts in Hong Kong have been called for Monday afternoon. They follow a weekend of clashes with police on the streets.

Hong Kong has seen protests all summer. A movement against an extradition bill that would have allowed residents to be sent to mainland China to stand trial has expanded into demands for an investigation into alleged police abuse at protests and the dissolution of the legislature. Protesters also want full democracy for the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

Protesters snarled the morning rush hour by blocking train and platform doors to prevent trains from leaving stations.

Subway and train operator MTR said Monday that service had been partially suspended on five lines because of a number of door obstruction incidents.

It’s the third time in three weeks that protesters have disrupted train service.

Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam called a morning news conference ahead of what could be a chaotic day in her city. </s> Hundreds of Hong Kong people gathered outside the city’s legislature on Monday to call for the resignation of chief executive Carrie Lam, as one of her top advisers declared there was “no chance” a controversial extradition bill that sparked huge protests in the city would be reintroduced.

The protest on Monday followed a mass demonstration on Sunday against the bill that prompted Ms Lam to apologise over her handling of the proposed law, which would for the first time allow criminal suspects to be extradited from Hong Kong to China.

Organisers of Sunday’s rally claimed two million joined the march, while police estimated the number of demonstrators at 338,000, in what was one of the biggest protests in the city since its handover from British to Chinese rule in 1997.

“Almost a third of Hong Kong’s population came out against the extradition bill and the chief executive has not given a proper response,” said a woman at the city’s legislature who identified herself only as Christy. She said she had been out all night protesting. “Pausing the legislation is not what we want, we want the chief executive to cancel the proposal.”

Ms Lam announced on Saturday that she would suspend the bill indefinitely after insisting for months that she would push it through. Her U-turn came after a week of protests that erupted into violence last Wednesday when police used tear gas and rubber bullets against demonstrators in a rare use of force in the city.

But while Monday’s protests were small compared with previous days, democracy groups have vowed to continue pushing for a full withdrawal of the bill that they say could be abused by China to seize anyone passing through the territory on potentially trumped-up charges. They also want Ms Lam’s resignation and for police to soften any charges brought against the 11 protesters arrested on Wednesday.

Bernard Chan, Ms Lam’s most senior adviser, told Bloomberg there was “no chance the bill will be reintroduced”.

He added that the chief executive needed to “look after Hong Kong interests as well as the [China’s] interests. You can’t look at one and not the other”.

Mr Chan’s comments came after he said last week that it was “impossible” to continue pursuing the controversial bill against a backdrop of violent clashes between protesters and police, in what was the first public sign of a split among the city’s leadership over the issue.

The protests outside the Legislative Council came as Joshua Wong, a leader of the 2014 pro-democracy Occupy protests – the last time mass demonstrations brought the city to a standstill – was released a month early from jail. At a press conference held outside the prison in which he was incarcerated, he joined calls for Ms Lam to resign and later tweeted that the bill should be withdrawn.

“I hope people are aware there’s a new fight after the Umbrella Movement, ” he said.

Mr Wong has been in jail since May, after he lost an appeal against a contempt of court sentence for defying an order to clear a protest site during the pro-democracy rallies. His original three-month sentence was reduced to two months on appeal, citing his young age at the time – he turned 18 during the protests.

Mr Wong said there were about 20 activists still in prison in cases linked to pro-democracy protests, and he hoped there would be no more political prisoners in the territory. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2019 </s> HONG KONG (Reuters) - Police fired tear gas at protesters in multiple parts of Hong Kong on Monday after a general strike hit transport and the city’s Beijing-backed leader warned its prosperity was at risk.

The protests surpassed earlier shows of dissent in scale and intensity, seemingly stoked by Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam’s refusal once again to meet any of the protesters’ demands, while warning of an “extremely dangerous situation”.

What started several months ago as demonstrations over an extradition bill that would have let people be sent to mainland China for trial have grown into a much broader backlash against the city government and its political masters in Beijing.

The protests are the greatest political threat to the former British colony’s government since it returned to Chinese rule and one of the biggest popular challenges to Chinese leader Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012.

Amid extensive disruptions to trains and traffic, tens of thousands of demonstrators fanned out across Hong Kong, spreading pockets of activism to most of its main three regions: Hong Kong island, Kowloon and the New Territories.

In the evening, a group of men armed with sticks tried to attack the black-clad protesters in the North Point district.

Riot police used tear gas in districts including Wong Tai Sin, Tin Shui Wai, Tai Po, and Admiralty close to the city’s government headquarters.

Speaking to the media for the first time in two weeks, Lam remained defiant, rejecting calls to resign, condemning violence and saying the government would be resolute.

She warned that the protests were putting Hong Kong on a path of no return and had hurt its economy.

“They claim they want a revolution and to restore Hong Kong. These actions have far exceeded their original political demands,” said a stern-faced Lam, flanked by some, but not all senior members of her administration.

“These illegal acts that challenge our country’s sovereignty, and jeopardize ‘one country two systems’, will destroy the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong,” Lam said, referring to the territory’s administrative system since 1997, when it was handed back to China.

Demonstrators fear China is gradually encroaching on the island’s cherished autonomy.

China’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council said it would hold another news conference on Tuesday at 2.30 pm (0630 GMT), after one last Monday that announced no new major policy shifts by Beijing despite the upheavals.

“I don’t think the government is doing anything to heal society... They provide no solution,” said Jay Leung, 20, a university student who joined a protest, dismissing Lam’s words as a waste of time.

“I didn’t hear anything positive, she just made it worse,” added tourism worker Russell, 38.

Demonstrators blocked key roads, including three tunnels, cutting major arteries linking Hong Kong island and the Kowloon Peninsula. In Yuen Long district, a car rammed through a barricade, knocking down protesters.

Commuters struggled to get to work, with many rail and bus services suspended by activists who blocked trains from leaving stations, some by sitting in doorways.

Long lines of traffic snaked across Hong Kong island into the heart of the business center and hundreds of people were stranded at the airport, where more than 200 flights were canceled at one point.

“Losing a bit of money now is not such a problem, (compared) with losing everything that the freedom of Hong Kong used to stand for,” said Mark Schmidt, 49, a restaurant manager who closed on Monday.

In an upmarket shopping mall in Sha Tin, scores of shops were shuttered, including clothing retailer H&M as well as luxury brands Chanel and Dior. Protesters in the shopping center chanted: “Strike! Support to the end.”

Many stores in the bustling shopping district of Causeway Bay were closed for part of the day as well as businesses close to the protests.

Members of the Hong Kong Disneyland Cast Members Union went on strike, as did many lifeguards, forcing authorities to close some beaches and swimming pools.

Police, who some have accused of using excessive force, said the situation was spiraling out of control.

Authorities said 420 people have been arrested over the protests since June 9, while police have fired 1,000 rounds of tear gas and about 160 rubber bullets.

The protesters’ demands include a complete withdrawal of the extradition bill and an independent inquiry into government handling of the crisis.

With tourist numbers falling and hotel occupancy rates slumping, the protests are piling pressure on a struggling economy.

IHS Markit’s July Purchasing Managers’ Index for Hong Kong showed private sector business activity dropped to its lowest level in a decade, also weighed down by the Sino-U.S. trade war.

“I would not be surprised if we see a technical recession - two consecutive quarters of contraction,” said Raymond Yeung, chief China economist at ANZ.

The benchmark Hang Seng Index closed down 2.9 percent, falling to its lowest level since January. </s> HONG KONG — The Chinese government Monday voiced strong support for Hong Kong’s embattled chief executive, Carrie Lam, a day after yet another vast street protest against her government rattled the leadership in Beijing and the local political establishment.

The Foreign Ministry issued a forceful endorsement of Lam on Monday. Beijing’s representatives in Hong Kong called in dozens of local politicians and business leaders to urge them to support her. And the Chinese state media began praising Lam even as government censors assiduously tried to block word of the Hong Kong protests from reaching the public in mainland China.

But after three huge demonstrations over eight days, and her retreat on a proposal that would have allowed Hong Kong residents to be prosecuted in China’s opaque judicial system, it was unclear how long Lam would continue to govern.

The latest protest, on Sunday, was the largest yet, with a crowd that organizers estimated at almost 2 million in a city of 7 million people. While Lam had indefinitely suspended her push for the Beijing-backed extradition bill the day before, protesters still filled the streets, calling for her to withdraw the legislation instead of suspending it and demanding that she resign.

Lam, a lifelong veteran of Hong Kong’s fractious politics who was appointed chief executive two years ago, has refused to bow to the protesters’ jeering calls for her to quit. But democracy advocates in Hong Kong vowed to press on.

“Carrie Lam must step down,” said Joshua Wong, a student leader who, coincidentally, was released from prison Monday after serving a two-month sentence for refusing to leave a protest site in 2014 during a democracy push known as the Umbrella Movement.

“More and more Hong Kong people — not only 1 million, 2 million people — will come to join our fight until we get back our basic human rights and freedom,” he said.

In addition to calling for Lam to step down and fully withdraw the bill, the protesters — emboldened and angered after her partial concession Saturday — have called for an impartial investigation into the police use of force against demonstrators and for a rescinding of the official description of clashes with police Wednesday as an illegal riot.

Any resignation by Lam would prompt strong demands by democracy activists for her successor to be chosen in free and open elections. But the Communist Party leadership in Beijing, loath to allow any steps that might jeopardize one-party control on the mainland, is unlikely to let them be held.

Keith Bradsher and Amy Qin and New York Times writers.
Hong Kong citizens call for a city-wide general strike with various sit-ins in seven districts. With thousands of workers announcing their participation, over 200 flights were cancelled, MTR lines halted and the Hang Seng Index dropped sharply. Chief Executive Carrie Lam blamed protesters for "destroying Hong Kong" and rejected their demands.