A day of frustration and fear
Updated: 2019-08-14 07:33
By Staff Writer(HK Edition)
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It was another day of chaos and frustration at Hong Kong International Airport on Tuesday with tens of thousands of travelers left in limbo, struggling to overcome fatigue, anxiety and fear, as one of the world's busiest aviation hubs remained crippled by a mass illegal sit-in by protesters.
The situation was compounded by the protest turning into a brief violent encounter between protesters and police, and two visitors being assaulted by rioters before being rescued by police.
Airport Authority Hong Kong, which runs HKIA, announced at about 4:30pm on Tuesday the cancellation of all outgoing flights, citing a serious disruption of airport operations while thousands of protesters continued to occupy the complex.
Hundreds of passengers remained stranded for the second day.
Other travelers lost their cool, resorting to spats with protesters, complaining that their rights had been trampled upon.
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Black-clad demonstrators use iron barricades and trollies outside Hong Kong International Airport, hurling them at the police on Tuesday night. |
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Protesters occupy the airport complex for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, turning to violence from 11pm. |
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A suspected Chinese mainland undercover police officer was badly injured by demonstrators. The police rushed to his rescue, carrying him off on a stretcher. |
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Radical protesters smash the rear window of a police car outside the airport after officers accompanied the injured man to an ambulance and sent him to hospital. |
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Police officers drop to their knees after being attacked by protesters inside the airport. |
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Airport Authority Hong Kong announced on Tuesday afternoon all outgoing flights that required check-in after 4:30pm had been canceled. |
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Demonstrators occupy the Departure Hall of Terminal 1 on Tuesday afternoon, blocking travelers access to the check-in counters. |
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Airport staff look on helplessly as protesters prevent travelers from entering the departure enclosure. |
(HK Edition 08/14/2019 page5)