All check-in services for flights out of Hong Kong have been suspended for the second day in a row as protesters block the departure area of one of the world’s busiest airports.
On Monday, thousands of black-clad demonstrators flooded Hong Kong International Airport in protest of the police use of force the day before, leading to the cancellation of all outbound flights. Crowds disappeared as the night wore on, but returned to the arrival halls on Tuesday afternoon after flights resumed.
The Airport Authority had adopted measures to tighten access to the check-in area of Terminal 1 last Thursday, when the sit-in protests began. The step limited access to passengers with boarding passes for the coming 24-hours.
As the number of protesters at @hkairport begins to swell again, express trains are running at 15-min intervals at the request of the authorities. #hongkong #antiELAB #HK pic.twitter.com/S7d1keLM7H
— Hong Kong Free Press (@HongKongFP) August 13, 2019
But on Tuesday, a group of protesters successfully entered the Terminal 1 check-in area leading to the departure hall at around 2:50pm.
Meanwhile, protesters began to occupy the departure area of Terminal 2 at 4:30pm.
“Terminal operations at Hong Kong International Airport have been seriously disrupted, and all check-in processes have now been suspended,” read a statement on the Airport Authority’s website, updated at around 6pm.
“All passengers are advised to leave the terminal buildings as soon as possible. Affected passengers please contact their respective airlines for flight arrangement.”
Some flights scheduled to depart on Tuesday evening were still scheduled to take off.
“I come today because, for two months, we did so many things but our government didn’t meet the requests,” a protester who gave her name as Jenny told HKFP. “The police are not police!”
Earlier, protesters at @hkairport set up a “villain hitting” alter dedicated to Carrie Lam. People threw coins and shoes at an image of the city’s leader. https://t.co/MnjkRuSqyx #HongKong #China #antiELABhk #antiELAB pic.twitter.com/hZp7cb6TUf
— Hong Kong Free Press (@HongKongFP) August 13, 2019
At departures, protesters prevented passengers from reaching the gates to immigration, chanting “sorry” and physically blocking them if they attempted to pass.
Meanwhile, others chanted “free Hong Kong” as travellers emerged from arrivals.
Banners reading “welcome to the expired tear gas city” and and “danger, HK police shoot the citizen” were displayed around the arrivals hall.
Some activists gave out food and water, as others displayed videos on laptops of apparent police violence and handed out metro maps detailing recent incidents at protests.
“I think their methods have been successful,” one man, who was heading to Australia told HKFP. “I want to get home – I think their point’s been made. I think they’ve potentially a bigger fight than sitting at the airport, but I can see their cause.”
One other traveller from Egypt also voiced support for the protesters, but others were more frustrated: “I don’t mind what they [the protesters] do but they made us five hours delayed,” 50-year-old Wing Au-yeung from South Korea told AFP. “They can do what they want but it should not affect other people.”
At around 6.30pm, a scuffle broke out as protesters accosted a man they suspected to be an undercover mainland security officer. Photos of an identity card were shared on Telegram, leading some demonstrators to chase then surround the man, who appeared to match the photo.
Three airport security staff attempted to protect him, as the crowd jeered. Some kicked him and threw punches, causing injuries to his face.
The man was surrounded by three security officers, a ring of media and hundreds of protesters, who demanded to see the contents of his phone. As he tried to leave, the crowd pushed and jeered, as the peaceful sit-in continued nearby. #HongKong #China #antiELABhk #antiELAB pic.twitter.com/yVfNj7Qdty
— Hong Kong Free Press (@HongKongFP) August 13, 2019
Protesters made him show the contents of his phone, a as one activist fell to the floor. She was taken away on a stretcher by medics.
Police action
Public relations bureau chief Superintendent John Tse said the force was closely monitoring the situation but did not elaborate when asked if any clearance action was imminent.
Two protesters displayed videos purporting to show police violence while handing out MTR metro maps of incidents of alleged misconduct to travellers.#HongKong #China #antiELABhk #antiELAB https://t.co/kmLJLFCnSX pic.twitter.com/HPPFbVufUJ
— Hong Kong Free Press (@HongKongFP) August 13, 2019
The city has been shaken by over two months of protests related to a now-suspended extradition bill. On Monday, Beijing said the unrest in Hong Kong was a sign of increasing “terrorism.”
On Sunday, police fired tear gas inside Kwai Fong MTR station while firing projectiles at close range towards protesters in Tai Koo MTR station. Some officers were disguised as protesters before conducting arrests, and one woman in Tsim Sha Tsui was shot with an apparent bean bag round causing her right eye to rupture.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam defended the police on Tuesday saying that many of the allegations of misconduct were not supported by evidence.