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Hong Kong has concluded a new weekend of protests that extended this Monday with a general strike throughout the territory. From the middle of the day, police operations began to stretch late into the night, back on a historic day.
With our special correspondent in Hong Kong, Zhifan Liu
The day had to be exceptional. For the first time, Hong Kongers were called to participate in a general strike to try to bend their government in a society where the culture of work is paramount. But Monday morning, Carrie Lam broke the hopes of the protesters by criticizing again the violence that endangered the archipelago.
Tens of thousands of citizens gathered all over the city, while much of public transport was paralyzed by disruption. Disturbances that also resulted in the cancellation of more than 200 flights at Hong Kong International Airport.
But as usual, clashes between protesters and law enforcement have marked this day. They launched the first tear gas at noon, north of the city while making numerous arrests. Police operations then spread to five of Hong Kong's 18 districts, leaving little room for protestors and citizens alike. Several skirmishes also took place east of Hong Kong Island in the evening. Pro-Beijing pro-triad members attacked the protesters with wooden sticks and other metal bars.
If the local government remains stuck on its positions, the demonstrators remain determined to assert freedom on Hong Kong, despite two months of grueling fighting.
■ Report: Protesters in Causeway Bay
On roads closed to traffic for several hours, hundreds, even thousands of young demonstrators were walking quietly, refueling and taking some strength. They wanted to be present despite a long day that will remain like that of the first general strike that will have known Hong Kong. A protester, does not hide satisfaction despite the exhaustion: " I think we have achieved something extraordinary, because in Asia, especially in Hong Kong, strike is very difficult, people suffer a lot and are afraid of losing their jobs. So congratulations to all those who are part of it. We need to make this movement a more regular movement. "
After two long months of struggle, the general strike was hopeful to bend the local government, but Carrie Lam is once again encamped on his positions, much to the chagrin of this young student: " I'm not very optimistic as for the future of Hong Kong. People lost confidence in the police. But I'm ready to go on fighting because I live here and I will definitely live there all my life. I saw that Carrie Lam continues to call us bad people, I do not think it can change anything. "
A government that always remains deaf to demands demonstrators. Since June 9, the beginning of the movement, the police have announced the arrest of more than 400 protesters. A figure published before the clashes Monday night.