Hong Kong: Protesters on Monday escalated anti-government demonstrations, disrupted train services during morning rush hour and forced airport authorities to cancel 230 flights amid disruption fears.
Delays affected the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) as scuffles broke out on Monday between commuters and activists, who held open the doors to stop trains leaving. Several MTR lines were also suspended.
According to media reports, Air traffic controllers called in "sick en masse", echoing the actions of an estimated 5,00,000 Hongkongers from more than 20 business sectors.
The number of flights that could take off, or land, were affected and authorities said only one of the two runways would be in operation till 6 a.m. on Tuesday.
Flights around Asia bore the brunt of the cancellations.
Most of the cancelled flights were with local carriers Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines. Besides these airlines, Cathay Dragon and HK Express also advised passengers to check before they travelled to the airport on Monday.
The strike is part of the protests that have rocked the city for more than two months, with protesters demanding complete withdrawal of a now-shelved extradition bill that would have allowed extradition to mainland China.
But these demonstrations have evolved into a catch-all movement against the local government and are causing disruptions. The protesters are now demanding an independent inquiry into the police violence, the resignation of the territory's Chief Executive Carrie Lam and democratic reform.
There were violent clashes on Saturday and Sunday and the police again fired teargas at protesters on Monday.
Police officials said that they fired 1,000 teargas canisters and 160 rubber bullets and had made 420 arrests since June 9, when the anti-government protests began.
In the first media address in two weeks, the city's leader Carrie Lam said that the protesters' actions had challenged the principle of "one country, two systems" and were threatening prosperity and stability in Hong Kong.
Lam also accused activists of using the extradition bill as a "cover" for their "real goals". She said that she would be not be stepping down, one of the demands made by protesters.
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