Flights Depart Hong Kong Airport on Schedule After Protest Chaos
Indian government has issued a travel advisory to its citizens travelling to Hong Kong or transiting through it.
Flights were departing Hong Kong airport largely on schedule on Wednesday morning, 14 August, a day after pro-democracy protesters caused chaos with a disruptive sit-in that paralysed the busy transport hub.
The protesters apologised to travelers and the general public for the inconvenience during the past five days of airport occupation.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Hundreds of flights were cancelled on Tuesday, 13 August after demonstrators blockaded two terminals, the second consecutive day the airport has been targeted in the latest escalation of a 10-week political crisis that has gripped the international finance hub.
Protesters physically blocked travellers from accessing flights throughout the afternoon, before battling with riot police outside the terminal later that evening and turning on two people they accused of being spies or undercover police.
But by the early hours of Wednesday morning the vast majority of protesters had left the building and flights began taking off on a more regular basis.
The airport's website showed dozens of flights taking off overnight and listed hundreds more scheduled to depart throughout Wednesday, although many were delayed.
Earlier, on 12 August, the Honk Kong authorities had cancelled flights after protesters stormed in the arrival halls wearing eye patches and bandages, opposing a bill that allows extraditions to mainland China.
It was unclear whether the airport would again be targeted later Wednesday.
Activists turned their attention to the economically vital airport after weeks of huge peaceful rallies – and increasingly violent clashes between hardliners and police – failed to win any concessions from the city's leaders or Beijing.
WHY IS HONG KONG PROTESTING?
For the over two months, Hong Kong, a Special-Administered Region of China, has been witnessing the biggest pro-democracy protests since Britain handed it over to China in 1997.
Residents feared that this would mark the end of judicial independence and compromise the freedoms and autonomy afforded to the city under the ‘one country, two systems’ framework.
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The local government consequently caved in to the demand and said that the bill has been suspended but the protests show no signs of waning. The citizens now demand more government accountability, direct elections and an end to police brutality.
WHAT DID THE INDIAN ADVISORY SAY?
A travel advisory issued on Tuesday by the Indian Consulate in Hong Kong said, "Operations at Hong Kong International Airport have been seriously disrupted due to public demonstrations on 12 August."
A notice posted on the Consulate's website added that operations were likely to resume on 13 August, but the flights are likely to be delayed and/or cancelled due to the possibility of more protests.
Indian passengers who are already in Hong Kong and waiting to depart were advised to be in touch with their respective airlines for information about when their flights might resume.
The city's leader, Carrie Lam, on Tuesday said that she was worried over the situation in Hong Kong and the violent protests will push it "down a path of no return."
"Violence, no matter if it's using violence or condoning violence, will push Hong Kong down a path of no return, will plunge Hong Kong society into a very worrying and dangerous situation," Lam said.
(With inputs from Associated Press and PTI)
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