Continuing, rising violence in HK will only invite stronger response

All flights in and out of Hong Kong, except those departure flights that had completed the check-in process and arrival flights that were already heading to Hong Kong, were canceled on Monday after demonstrators descended on the city's airport to denounce what they claim is police violence.

Demonstrators in the special administrative region have been decrying what they say are heavy-handed police tactics. Yet the police actions are in response to serious public order challenges and violent crimes.

Demonstrators have not only wantonly destroyed public property and disrupted traffic in some major thoroughfares with their antics, disrupting daily life for everyone in the SAR, but the more radical among them have also escalated the violence. On the weekend, "flash mobs" attacked police officers in various districts of the city with bricks, iron bars and sharp objects.