Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption The BBC's Nick Beake described the "chaos" on the streets over the weekend

China has condemned the recent anti-government protests in Hong Kong as "horrendous incidents" that have caused "serious damage to the rule of law".

A spokeswoman for China's top policy office on Hong Kong insisted that the territory's "top priority" was to "restore social order".

The comments marked a rare intervention by the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office [HKMAO].

The city has seen eight consecutive weekends of anti-government protests.

There were violent clashes on Sunday as police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters. Barricades were also erected at several different locations in the city.

Although authorities in Beijing have condemned the protests and reiterated their support for Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam on several occasions, Monday's intervention is widely seen as conveying the official views of China's top leadership on the civil unrest for the first time.

What did China say?

A spokesman for the HKMAO, Yang Guang, condemned what he called the "evil and criminal acts committed by the radical elements" in Hong Kong.

"We call on the general public of Hong Kong to be aware of the grave nature of the current situation," he said at the news conference.

Image copyright EPA Image caption Monday's press conference was held by the Chinese government's top office that handles Hong Kong affairs

Spokeswoman Xu Luying added: "We also believe that Hong Kong's top priority... is to punish violent and unlawful acts in accordance with the law, to restore social order as soon as possible, and to maintain a good business environment."

The office also:

Reiterated that the Chinese government "strongly" supports the leadership in Hong Kong

Called on the people of Hong Kong to "unequivocally oppose and resist violence"

Expressed support for the city's police force

Blamed the escalating tensions on "irresponsible figures in Western countries" who are hoping to "contain China's development"

The intervention came a week after protesters defaced the highly symbolic national emblem on the Chinese government's liaison office in Hong Kong, prompting fury in Beijing.

The authorities have now installed a protective casing around the sign.

As a former British colony, Hong Kong has its own legal and judicial systems, and has been promised "a high degree of autonomy" from the Chinese government except in foreign and defence affairs.

Image copyright AFP Image caption Protesters defaced the Chinese national emblem at the liaison office in Hong Kong

Claudia Mo, a Hong Kong legislator who supports the protest movement, said Beijing's latest comments could provoke further unrest.

"I'm so worried what happened in Beijing today [will] actually help fan the fire," she told the BBC. "The way they say they resolutely... support Carrie Lam and the police force. They are trying to divide Hong Kong."

Bruce Lui, a senior journalism lecturer at the Hong Kong Baptist University, said he could not recall a news conference on Hong Kong being called by the HKMAO.

"Beijing is repeating what it has said before. It condemns violence, supports Carrie Lam and Hong Kong police," he told the BBC. "But when asked about the deployment of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops, the spokesperson showed a rather distant attitude."

Although PLA troops are stationed in Hong Kong, they are not expected to interfere in local issues. But the law does permit Hong Kong's government to request assistance from the PLA for the purposes of maintaining public order or disaster relief.

China's two-pronged strategy

Image copyright AFP

Analysis by Celia Hatton, BBC News, Beijing

Beijing seems to be trying to get a grip of the turmoil in Hong Kong with a two-pronged strategy.

It is sharing its views on why the territory's residents are protesting, blaming a small number of "radicals" who are influenced by overseas forces. But it is also trying to maintain some distance by reaffirming its support for the authorities there.

The spokespeople continually praised the actions of the "courageous" police. The one question that was quickly batted away in the news conference was a query about the possible intervention by Chinese forces.

At times they sounded conciliatory. They also expressed support for Hong Kong's unhappy youth, noting that more needed to be done to provide affordable housing and employment.

But much more time was focused on Beijing's reasoning for what has gone so wrong. The officials repeatedly blamed "irresponsible figures" in the West. They also said that many in Hong Kong support the territory's chief executive, Carrie Lam, although they said those individuals are "relatively quiet".

It seemed that Beijing was not even bothering to win over sceptics in Hong Kong. Instead, this press conference repeated views already found in China's state media. This kind of media outreach was new - but the viewpoints don't appear to have changed.

How did we get here?

Demonstrations began when the Hong Kong government introduced a controversial bill that would have enabled extraditions to mainland China.

It sparked huge protests as critics feared the bill would undermine Hong Kong's freedoms, and be used to target political activists.

The row intensified as police were accused of using excessive force on anti-extradition bill protesters.

Image copyright Reuters Image caption There have been clashes near China's liaison office in the territory

Tensions increased further last Sunday, when suspected triad members descended on a subway station in Yuen Long, beating protesters, passersby and journalists with sticks.

Demonstrators accused the police of colluding with the triads - claims denied by the police.

The authorities say they have arrested 12 people over the attack, including nine men with links to triads.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption A large group of masked men in white T-shirts stormed Yuen Long station

The anti-extradition protests have morphed into a broader movement.

While the government has paused work on the extradition bill, protesters now want it withdrawn completely, as well as an independent inquiry into police violence, and democratic reform.

They want the territory's leader, Carrie Lam, who is not directly elected by voters and whose handling of the crisis has been widely criticised, to resign.

Some protesters have also expressed their anger at the mainland Chinese government, which they say has been eroding freedoms in Hong Kong.

Timeline of events 2019

3 April - Hong Kong government introduces amendments to the city's extradition laws to the legislature that would allow criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China.

9 June - In the first of many protests against the changes, an estimated one million people march to government headquarters.

12 June - Anti-extradition bill protesters block roads and try to storm government buildings - police fire tear gas, rubber bullets and bean bag rounds at protesters, in the worst violence the city has seen in decades.

15 June - In a dramatic reversal, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam indefinitely delays the bill.

16 June - Despite the delay, an estimated two million people take to the streets demanding the complete withdrawal of the bill, as well as an investigation into alleged police violence and Carrie Lam's resignation.

21 June - As anger grows towards police, protests blockade police headquarters for 15 hours. They now also want protesters that were arrested to be exonerated.

1 July - On the anniversary of Hong Kong's handover from the UK to China, the Legislative Council (LegCo) building is stormed and broken into by protesters.

21 July- Protesters deface China's Liaison Office in Hong Kong. That same night mobs of men wearing white shirts attack protesters and commuters in Yuen Long station, near mainland China, in a new escalation of violence. </s> HONG KONG (AP) — China's government strongly backed Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam's embattled administration on Tuesday, saying the occupation and vandalizing of the city's legislature by pro-democracy protesters amounted to "serious illegal acts" that endangered the social order.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Beijing condemned the acts that saw several hundred demonstrators break through glass and steel barriers to enter the building on Monday night.

Geng said China's central government strongly supported Hong Kong's government and its police force in dealing with the incident in accordance with law.

"The violent attacks ... are serious illegal acts that trample on the rule of law and endanger social order. We strongly condemn it," Geng told reporters at a daily briefing.

Geng also reiterated China's rejection of any foreign nation commenting on or intervening in protest actions in Hong Kong, saying such matters were a purely Chinese affair and other countries "must not support any violent criminals in any form, and not send any misleading signals or take any erroneous actions."

The Cabinet's Hong Kong affairs office issued virtually an identical statement under the name of an unidentified spokesman.

Geng's comments follow the publication of an editorial by a ruling Chinese Communist Party newspaper that said the demonstrators who broke into the local legislature showed their "arrogance" and had no regard for the rule of law.

Chinese state media ran footage of police in Hong Kong clearing protesters from streets in the early hours of Tuesday in a break with their silence over days of pro-democracy demonstrations that have challenged Beijing's authority over the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

Beijing has largely sought to downplay the demonstrations that have highlighted doubts about the validity of its "one country, two systems" formula for governing the former British colony. Its coverage of the protests and the publication of a harsh editorial in the official Communist Party newspaper Global Times may indicate it is prepared to take a tougher line against the demonstrators following days of forbearance.

"These violent assailants in their arrogance pay no heed to Hong Kong's law, no doubt arousing the anger and sadness of all people of the city of Hong Kong," the editorial said.

Veteran opposition figure Joshua Wong acknowledged that the damage to the legislative offices has drawn criticism from some sectors in the Asian financial hub. But he said mass participation in marches and rallies over previous weeks showed there was a groundswell of support for the demonstrators' goals of demanding more accountability from Lam's administration.

"I understand people in Hong Kong and around the world might not 100% agree or disagree on all of the behavior of protesters ... but all of the requests have been ignored. So is there any way out?" Wong said.

Lam is "not capable as leader anymore" and should resign, Wong said, echoing the demand of many protesters. Having been elected by a Beijing-approved committee, Lam is reliant on continuing support from Beijing, which has shown no outward signs of abandoning her so far.

Wong also alleged that police officers had "double standards" in enforcing the law, saying pro-Beijing legislators and their staff members have benefited by better treatment than their opposition counterparts throughout the weeks of protest outside the legislature.

On the mainland, Beijing had sought to suppress news of the protests, which roughly coincided with celebrations of the 22nd anniversary of Hong Kong's handover from British to Chinese rule. The demonstrations reflect mounting frustration with Lam and her government for not responding to demands from opposition figures that were originally sparked by a government attempt to change extradition laws to allow suspects to be sent to China for trial. Lam has shelved the bills but not agreed to scrap them altogether as opponents insist she does.

Hundreds of protesters swarmed into Hong Kong's legislature Monday night, defacing portraits of lawmakers and spray-painting pro-democracy slogans in the chamber before vacating it as riot police cleared surrounding streets with tear gas and then moved inside.

Protesters whacked away at thick glass windows until they shattered and then pried open steel security gates. Police initially retreated as the protesters entered, avoiding a confrontation and giving them the run of the building, during which they spray painted slogans calling for a democratic election of Hong Kong's leader and denouncing the extradition legislation. Many wore yellow and white helmets, face masks and the black T-shirts that have become their uniform.

The actions prompted organizers of a separate peaceful march against the extradition bill to change the endpoint of their protest from the legislature to a nearby park, after police asked them to call it off or change the route. Police wanted the march to end earlier in Hong Kong's Wan Chai district, but organizers said that would leave out many people who planned to join the march along the way.

Police estimated that 190,000 people joined the peaceful march, the third major one in as many weeks. Organizers put the turnout at 550,000.

The extradition proposal has heightened fears of eroding freedoms in Hong Kong, which Britain returned to China on July 1, 1997. Debate on the measure has been suspended indefinitely. Protesters want the bills formally withdrawn and Lam to resign.

Lam, who has come under withering criticism for trying to push the legislation through, called a rare pre-dawn news conference with security officials Tuesday at police headquarters. She noted that two different protests happened Monday — one a generally orderly march that reflected Hong Kong's inclusiveness, the other using vandalism and violence.

"This is something we should seriously condemn," she said.

Lam disputed protesters' complaints that officials had not responded to them, saying the government explained that by suspending the bill with no timetable or plan to revisit it, the legislation would die at the end of the current legislative session in July 2020.

For the other demands, she said releasing arrested protesters without an investigation would not uphold the rule of law.

The extradition bill controversy has given fresh momentum to Hong Kong's pro-democracy opposition movement, awakening broader concerns that China is chipping away at the rights guaranteed to Hong Kong for 50 years under the "one country, two systems" framework. The two marches in June drew more than a million people, according to organizer estimates.

Surveying damage to the building on Tuesday morning, Legislative Council President Andrew Leung said the previous night's violence had undermined "the core values of Hong Kong." He said police were collecting evidence of criminal wrongdoing.

"I believe many Hong Kong people will share the same feeling with me that we are saddened by what happened last night. For the best interest of Hong Kong, I hope that all of us can find the way forward professionally," Leung said.

While the extradition bills and police use of tear gas and rubber bullets against protesters have drawn expressions of concern from professional groups and foreign governments, the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong said Tuesday that it supported Lam's government in condemning the violence at the legislature.

"We believe the violent protests of recent days do not reflect how the majority of people in this dynamic and advanced economy would choose to be heard," the chamber said in an emailed statement.

Associated Press writer Christopher Bodeen in Beijing contributed to this report. </s> HONG KONG (AP) — China’s government strongly backed Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s embattled administration on Tuesday, saying the occupation and vandalizing of the city’s legislature by pro-democracy protesters amounted to “serious illegal acts” that endangered the social order.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Beijing condemned the acts that saw several hundred demonstrators break through glass and steel barriers to enter the building on Monday night.

Geng said China's central government strongly supported Hong Kong's government and its police force in dealing with the incident in accordance with law.

"The violent attacks ... are serious illegal acts that trample on the rule of law and endanger social order. We strongly condemn it," Geng told reporters at a daily briefing.

Geng also reiterated China's rejection of any foreign nation commenting on or intervening in protest actions in Hong Kong, saying such matters were a purely Chinese affair and other countries "must not support any violent criminals in any form, and not send any misleading signals or take any erroneous actions."

The Cabinet's Hong Kong affairs office issued virtually an identical statement under the name of an unidentified spokesman.

Geng's comments follow the publication of an editorial by a ruling Chinese Communist Party newspaper that said the demonstrators who broke into the local legislature showed their "arrogance" and had no regard for the rule of law.

Chinese state media ran footage of police in Hong Kong clearing protesters from streets in the early hours of Tuesday in a break with their silence over days of pro-democracy demonstrations that have challenged Beijing's authority over the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

Beijing has largely sought to downplay the demonstrations that have highlighted doubts about the validity of its "one country, two systems" formula for governing the former British colony. Its coverage of the protests and the publication of a harsh editorial in the official Communist Party newspaper Global Times may indicate it is prepared to take a tougher line against the demonstrators following days of forbearance.

"These violent assailants in their arrogance pay no heed to Hong Kong's law, no doubt arousing the anger and sadness of all people of the city of Hong Kong," the editorial said.

Veteran opposition figure Joshua Wong acknowledged that the damage to the legislative offices has drawn criticism from some sectors in the Asian financial hub. But he said mass participation in marches and rallies over previous weeks showed there was a groundswell of support for the demonstrators' goals of demanding more accountability from Lam's administration.

"I understand people in Hong Kong and around the world might not 100% agree or disagree on all of the behavior of protesters ... but all of the requests have been ignored. So is there any way out?" Wong said.

Lam is "not capable as leader anymore" and should resign, Wong said, echoing the demand of many protesters. Having been elected by a Beijing-approved committee, Lam is reliant on continuing support from Beijing, which has shown no outward signs of abandoning her so far.

Wong also alleged that police officers had "double standards" in enforcing the law, saying pro-Beijing legislators and their staff members have benefited by better treatment than their opposition counterparts throughout the weeks of protest outside the legislature.

On the mainland, Beijing had sought to suppress news of the protests, which roughly coincided with celebrations of the 22nd anniversary of Hong Kong's handover from British to Chinese rule. The demonstrations reflect mounting frustration with Lam and her government for not responding to demands from opposition figures that were originally sparked by a government attempt to change extradition laws to allow suspects to be sent to China for trial. Lam has shelved the bills but not agreed to scrap them altogether as opponents insist she does.

Hundreds of protesters swarmed into Hong Kong's legislature Monday night, defacing portraits of lawmakers and spray-painting pro-democracy slogans in the chamber before vacating it as riot police cleared surrounding streets with tear gas and then moved inside.

Protesters whacked away at thick glass windows until they shattered and then pried open steel security gates. Police initially retreated as the protesters entered, avoiding a confrontation and giving them the run of the building, during which they spray painted slogans calling for a democratic election of Hong Kong's leader and denouncing the extradition legislation. Many wore yellow and white helmets, face masks and the black T-shirts that have become their uniform.

The actions prompted organizers of a separate peaceful march against the extradition bill to change the endpoint of their protest from the legislature to a nearby park, after police asked them to call it off or change the route. Police wanted the march to end earlier in Hong Kong's Wan Chai district, but organizers said that would leave out many people who planned to join the march along the way.

Police estimated that 190,000 people joined the peaceful march, the third major one in as many weeks. Organizers put the turnout at 550,000.

The extradition proposal has heightened fears of eroding freedoms in Hong Kong, which Britain returned to China on July 1, 1997. Debate on the measure has been suspended indefinitely. Protesters want the bills formally withdrawn and Lam to resign.

Lam, who has come under withering criticism for trying to push the legislation through, called a rare pre-dawn news conference with security officials Tuesday at police headquarters. She noted that two different protests happened Monday — one a generally orderly march that reflected Hong Kong's inclusiveness, the other using vandalism and violence.

"This is something we should seriously condemn," she said.

Lam disputed protesters' complaints that officials had not responded to them, saying the government explained that by suspending the bill with no timetable or plan to revisit it, the legislation would die at the end of the current legislative session in July 2020.

For the other demands, she said releasing arrested protesters without an investigation would not uphold the rule of law.

The extradition bill controversy has given fresh momentum to Hong Kong's pro-democracy opposition movement, awakening broader concerns that China is chipping away at the rights guaranteed to Hong Kong for 50 years under the "one country, two systems" framework. The two marches in June drew more than a million people, according to organizer estimates.

Surveying damage to the building on Tuesday morning, Legislative Council President Andrew Leung said the previous night's violence had undermined "the core values of Hong Kong." He said police were collecting evidence of criminal wrongdoing.

"I believe many Hong Kong people will share the same feeling with me that we are saddened by what happened last night. For the best interest of Hong Kong, I hope that all of us can find the way forward professionally," Leung said.

While the extradition bills and police use of tear gas and rubber bullets against protesters have drawn expressions of concern from professional groups and foreign governments, the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong said Tuesday that it supported Lam's government in condemning the violence at the legislature.

“We believe the violent protests of recent days do not reflect how the majority of people in this dynamic and advanced economy would choose to be heard,” the chamber said in an emailed statement. </s> BEIJING: China on Monday (Aug 12) slammed violent protesters in Hong Kong who had thrown petrol bombs at police officers and linked them to "terrorism", as Beijing ramps up its rhetoric against pro-democracy demonstrations in the financial hub.

"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.

"This wantonly tramples on Hong Kong's rule of law and social order," he said at a press briefing in Beijing.

Yang's remarks came a day after thousands of pro-democracy protesters defied warnings from authorities to hit the streets for the 10th weekend in a row.

Hong Kong police fired volleys of tear gas Sunday at protestors after denying their requests for permits to stage a march.

But Yang focused on the violent behavior of a "tiny minority", which he condemned as "a serious challenge to Hong Kong's prosperity and stability."

The two-month crisis, which was triggered by opposition to a planned extradition law, has morphed into a wider movement for democratic reform and a halt to eroding freedoms.

It is the biggest threat to Beijing's rule of the semi-autonomous southern Chinese city since its handover from Britain in 1997 - and has drawn repeated criticism but no forceful actions yet from the central Chinese government. </s> Beijing, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Aug, 2019 ) :China on Monday slammed violent protesters in Hong Kong who had thrown petrol bombs at police officers and linked them to "terrorism", as Beijing ramps up its rhetoric against pro-democracy demonstrations in the financial hub.

"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.

"This wantonly tramples on Hong Kong's rule of law and social order," he said at a press briefing in Beijing.

Yang's remarks came a day after thousands of pro-democracy protesters defied warnings from authorities to hit the streets for the 10th weekend in a row.

Hong Kong police fired volleys of tear gas Sunday at protestors after denying their requests for permits to stage a march. </s> The communist leadership has warned of potential terrorism arising from the increasingly violent protests that have enflamed across Hong Kong. In a statement, Yang Guang, a spokesperson for the Chinese State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office expressed “deep indignation and strong condemnation” at recent events. However, in a landmark development, Beijing has also accused the US of interfering in the recent events in the key finance centre. In a statement, Chinese Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying questioned some of the remark emanating from the US.

Hong Kong protest: What is the latest travel advice?

Hong Kong protests today: Why are there riots in Hong Kong? Latest

He said: "The U.S. has been making various Hong Kong-related accusations that are wanton, fact-distorting and inflammatory.

"Some senior U.S. politicians and diplomatic officials met and engaged with anti-China rabble-rousers in Hong Kong, criticized China unreasonably, propped up violent and illegal activities and undermined Hong Kong's prosperity and stability.

"I'd like to ask the US this question again: what is the true intention behind your behaviours relating to Hong Kong?"

The protests started in February in response to a bill introduced that would allow the city’s residents to be extradited to China.

READ MORE: Airport brought to standstill as mass crowds protest police violence </s> Protesters gather inside the meeting hall of the Legislative Council in Hong Kong, Monday, July 1, 2019. Protesters in Hong Kong took over the legislature’s main building Friday night, tearing down portraits of legislative leaders and spray painting pro-democracy slogans on the walls of the main chamber. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

HONG KONG (AP) — China’s government strongly backed Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s embattled administration on Tuesday, saying the occupation and vandalizing of the city’s legislature by pro-democracy protesters amounted to “serious illegal acts” that endangered the social order.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Beijing condemned the acts that saw several hundred demonstrators break through glass and steel barriers to enter the building on Monday night.

Geng said China’s central government strongly supported Hong Kong’s government and its police force in dealing with the incident in accordance with law.

“The violent attacks … are serious illegal acts that trample on the rule of law and endanger social order. We strongly condemn it,” Geng told reporters at a daily briefing.

Geng also reiterated China’s rejection of any foreign nation commenting on or intervening in protest actions in Hong Kong, saying such matters were a purely Chinese affair and other countries “must not support any violent criminals in any form, and not send any misleading signals or take any erroneous actions.”

The Cabinet’s Hong Kong affairs office issued virtually an identical statement under the name of an unidentified spokesman.

Geng’s comments follow the publication of an editorial by a ruling Chinese Communist Party newspaper that said the demonstrators who broke into the local legislature showed their “arrogance” and had no regard for the rule of law.

Chinese state media ran footage of police in Hong Kong clearing protesters from streets in the early hours of Tuesday in a break with their silence over days of pro-democracy demonstrations that have challenged Beijing’s authority over the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

Beijing has largely sought to downplay the demonstrations that have highlighted doubts about the validity of its “one country, two systems” formula for governing the former British colony. Its coverage of the protests and the publication of a harsh editorial in the official Communist Party newspaper Global Times may indicate it is prepared to take a tougher line against the demonstrators following days of forbearance.

“These violent assailants in their arrogance pay no heed to Hong Kong’s law, no doubt arousing the anger and sadness of all people of the city of Hong Kong,” the editorial said.

Veteran opposition figure Joshua Wong acknowledged that the damage to the legislative offices has drawn criticism from some sectors in the Asian financial hub. But he said mass participation in marches and rallies over previous weeks showed there was a groundswell of support for the demonstrators’ goals of demanding more accountability from Lam’s administration.

“I understand people in Hong Kong and around the world might not 100% agree or disagree on all of the behavior of protesters … but all of the requests have been ignored. So is there any way out?” Wong said.

Lam is “not capable as leader anymore” and should resign, Wong said, echoing the demand of many protesters. Having been elected by a Beijing-approved committee, Lam is reliant on continuing support from Beijing, which has shown no outward signs of abandoning her so far.

Wong also alleged that police officers had “double standards” in enforcing the law, saying pro-Beijing legislators and their staff members have benefited by better treatment than their opposition counterparts throughout the weeks of protest outside the legislature.

On the mainland, Beijing had sought to suppress news of the protests, which roughly coincided with celebrations of the 22nd anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover from British to Chinese rule. The demonstrations reflect mounting frustration with Lam and her government for not responding to demands from opposition figures that were originally sparked by a government attempt to change extradition laws to allow suspects to be sent to China for trial. Lam has shelved the bills but not agreed to scrap them altogether as opponents insist she does.

Hundreds of protesters swarmed into Hong Kong’s legislature Monday night, defacing portraits of lawmakers and spray-painting pro-democracy slogans in the chamber before vacating it as riot police cleared surrounding streets with tear gas and then moved inside.

Protesters whacked away at thick glass windows until they shattered and then pried open steel security gates. Police initially retreated as the protesters entered, avoiding a confrontation and giving them the run of the building, during which they spray painted slogans calling for a democratic election of Hong Kong’s leader and denouncing the extradition legislation. Many wore yellow and white helmets, face masks and the black T-shirts that have become their uniform.

The actions prompted organizers of a separate peaceful march against the extradition bill to change the endpoint of their protest from the legislature to a nearby park, after police asked them to call it off or change the route. Police wanted the march to end earlier in Hong Kong’s Wan Chai district, but organizers said that would leave out many people who planned to join the march along the way.

Police estimated that 190,000 people joined the peaceful march, the third major one in as many weeks. Organizers put the turnout at 550,000.

The extradition proposal has heightened fears of eroding freedoms in Hong Kong, which Britain returned to China on July 1, 1997. Debate on the measure has been suspended indefinitely. Protesters want the bills formally withdrawn and Lam to resign.

Lam, who has come under withering criticism for trying to push the legislation through, called a rare pre-dawn news conference with security officials Tuesday at police headquarters. She noted that two different protests happened Monday — one a generally orderly march that reflected Hong Kong’s inclusiveness, the other using vandalism and violence.

“This is something we should seriously condemn,” she said.

Lam disputed protesters’ complaints that officials had not responded to them, saying the government explained that by suspending the bill with no timetable or plan to revisit it, the legislation would die at the end of the current legislative session in July 2020.

For the other demands, she said releasing arrested protesters without an investigation would not uphold the rule of law.

The extradition bill controversy has given fresh momentum to Hong Kong’s pro-democracy opposition movement, awakening broader concerns that China is chipping away at the rights guaranteed to Hong Kong for 50 years under the “one country, two systems” framework. The two marches in June drew more than a million people, according to organizer estimates.

Surveying damage to the building on Tuesday morning, Legislative Council President Andrew Leung said the previous night’s violence had undermined “the core values of Hong Kong.” He said police were collecting evidence of criminal wrongdoing.

“I believe many Hong Kong people will share the same feeling with me that we are saddened by what happened last night. For the best interest of Hong Kong, I hope that all of us can find the way forward professionally,” Leung said.

While the extradition bills and police use of tear gas and rubber bullets against protesters have drawn expressions of concern from professional groups and foreign governments, the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong said Tuesday that it supported Lam’s government in condemning the violence at the legislature.

“We believe the violent protests of recent days do not reflect how the majority of people in this dynamic and advanced economy would choose to be heard,” the chamber said in an emailed statement.

Associated Press writer Christopher Bodeen in Beijing contributed to this report. </s> HONG KONG (AP) — The Latest on protests in Hong Kong (all times local):

Pro-Beijing lawmakers in Hong Kong have condemned the violence and vandalism of government facilities by protesters.

Regina Ip, a former security secretary in the semi-autonomous territory, said such behavior was not acceptable in "civilized society."

She said there was nothing that could justify "the sort of violence we saw last night."

She and other lawmakers were protesting over the damage done to the legislative chamber by protesters who forced their way in late Monday as tens of thousands of people marched in the streets.

They also were urging the protesters to cool off and calm down after weeks of demonstrations over a government attempt to change extradition laws to allow suspects to be sent to China for trial.

Chinese state media have run footage of police in Hong Kong clearing protesters from streets in a break with its silence over past days of pro-democracy demonstrations.

Footage aired Tuesday showed police moving into roads surrounding the legislative council, where protesters had smashed through glass and metal barriers to occupy the space for about three hours on Monday night.

Beijing had sought to suppress news of the weeks of protests coinciding with celebrations of Chinese rule. The demonstrations reflect mounting frustration with Hong Kong's leader for not responding to demands after several weeks of protests sparked by a government attempt to change extradition laws to allow suspects to be sent to China for trial.

Protesters vacated the chamber as police cleared surrounding streets with tear gas and then moved inside. </s> China’s Hong Kong Liaison office said on Wednesday that anti-government protesters were no different to “terrorists”, as US president Donald Trump said Chinese troops were moving to the border with Hong Kong and urged calm.

The Beijing-based Hong Kong and Macau Affairs office on Wednesday said extremely violent crimes must be severely punished in accordance with the law.

The strongly worded statements by China’s central government follows violent clashes between black clad protesters and riot police at Hong Kong’s international airport, which saw hundreds of flights halted for a second day.

A few dozen protesters remained at the airport on Wednesday while workers scrubbed it clean of blood and debris. Check-in counters reopened to queues of hundreds of weary travellers who had waited overnight for their flights.

Ten weeks of increasingly violent clashes between police and pro-democracy protesters, angered by a perceived erosion of freedoms, have plunged the Asian financial hub into its worst crisis since it reverted from British to Chinese rule in 1997.

China’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office said it strongly condemned the “near terrorism criminal actions” in Hong Kong including what it called a violent attack on a mainland Chinese journalist and tourist at the airport.

Police condemned violent acts by protesters overnight and said a large group had “harassed and assaulted a visitor and a journalist”. Some protesters said they believed one of those men was an undercover Chinese agent, while another was confirmed as a reporter from China’s Global Times newspaper.

Five people were detained in the latest disturbances, police said, bringing the number of those arrested since the protests began in June to more than 600.

The protests began in opposition to a now-suspended bill that would have allowed the extradition of suspects for trial in mainland China but have swelled into wider calls for democracy.

Embattled Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has said the city has been pushed into a state of “panic and chaos”.

Demonstrators say they are fighting the erosion of the “one country, two systems” arrangement that enshrined some autonomy for Hong Kong when it returned to China in 1997.

The protests represent one of the biggest challenges for Chinese resident Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012.

In Washington, US president Donald Trump said the Chinese government was moving troops to the border with Hong Kong and urged calm.

China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has a garrison in Hong Kong but has remained in barracks since the protests started in April. However, the PLA garrison has issued a video showing “anti-riot” exercises, and its top brass have warned violence is “absolutely impermissible”.

As Hong Kong’s political crisis deepens, China denied a request for two US Navy warships to visit Hong Kong in the coming weeks, officials said.

Security at Hong Kong airport on Wednesday was stricter than usual with several entrances closed.

Hong Kong’s Airport Authority said it had obtained an interim court injunction to stop people from obstructing operations and that protesters could only demonstrate in designated areas.

Dicky, a 35-year-old protester at the airport for more than two days, said protesters would obey the injunction.

“We will continue to fight for what we deserve otherwise all of that would have been in vain,” he said, declining to give his full name.

Flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways published a half-page advertisement in the Hong Kong Economic Journal pledging its support for the government and calling for the resumption of the rule of law and social order.

China’s aviation regulator demanded last week that Cathay suspend personnel who engaged in or supported protests in Hong Kong from staffing flights into its airspace. The carrier later suspended two pilots.

Property developers Henderson Land Development, Cheung Kong Holdings and Sun Hung Kai Holdings also took out newspaper advertisement in support of the government on Wednesday.

Forward Keys, a flight data company, said the crisis had deterred people from making travel plans to the city, citing a 4.7 per cent fall in long-haul bookings to Hong Kong between June 16th and August 9th compared with the same period last year.

Statements of apology from protesters were displayed in the airport on Wednesday, promising to allow passengers to depart, to assist medical staff to carry out their duties and not to hinder the work of the press.

“We are not afraid of facing the issues directly...only afraid of losing your support to the whole movement due to our mistake, and that you give up on fighting.” –Reuters
The Chinese government's Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office condemns protests in Hong Kong as "evil and criminal acts committed by the radical elements", saying that Hong Kong's top priority is to "punish violent and unlawful acts in accordance with the law". Hong Kong legislators and journalists reject the statement from Beijing, expressing concern that this will worsen tensions.