Hong Kong is preparing for a new week of tension, after a weekend of mobilization where hundreds of thousands of protesters marched in the rain and calm, far from the scenes of violence that often marked the previous processions.
On Sunday, August 18th, 1.7 million people were on the streets of Hong Kong according to the organizers of the rally. The police counted 128,000 in Victoria Park, the starting point of the parade, at the height of the mobilization.
>> Read more: More than 100,000 protesters march through the streets of Hong Kong
Other events are planned in the coming weeks, including a new strike in different parts of the city. Police said Monday that while Sunday's mobilization was essentially peaceful, acts of public order violations followed. Protesters reportedly damaged government offices and targeted police officers with a laser pointer.
More than 700 arrests
As protests develop over time, the territory is the scene of more and more violent incidents, and the tension is still rising a notch this week with the occupation of the international airport that has led to a partial suspension of air traffic, Monday and Tuesday. A thousand flights have been canceled.
More than 700 people have been arrested since mobilization began more than eleven weeks ago. Beijing has adopted an increasingly firm tone with regard to demonstrations, even going so far as to accuse foreign countries, notably the United States, of interference.
Foreign influences
Donald Trump hinted Sunday that the White House would first like to see Beijing find a solution to this crisis before the two countries reach a trade agreement.
In an editorial published on Monday, the People's Daily, the official organ of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), warned again that foreign influences sought to stir up the protest movement.
With Reuters