Hong Kong: barricades, picket lines and tear gas in a new demonstration for democratic reforms

Thousands of protesters took public squares and parks in several parts of Hong Kong during a day-long general strike convened on a business day to ask the city's head of government to resign from office.

Police fired tear gas in the Wong Tai Sin district, where clashes took place with protesters over the weekend.

In the complex where the local legislature is located, other demonstrators painted on the walls: "official dogs" and yellow posters against the reform of extraditions. From one side of the building, they wrote "Revolution of our time".

The forced general strike cancellation of more than 200 flights at the airport of the city, and protesters have interrupted the metro services during the morning rush hour. Carri Lam, leader of Hong Kong, said that do not have the intention of resigning as the energetic prodemocratic movement claims.

The semi-autonomous Chinese city is "about to enter a very dangerous situation," said Lam, pointing out that the demonstrations had "hidden motives" that threatened Hong Kong's prosperity and security.

"At the moment I do not believe that my resignation or that of some of my colleagues offers a better solution"he said.

The strike is a new chapter in a summer of militant protests, launched in June against a bill to reform the extradition process, which would have allowed residents of the territory to be sent to China to be tried. .

Although the government suspended the initiative, the protests evolved to include broader demands for democratic reforms and an investigation into alleged police brutality.

Hong Kong, a former British colony, was sent back to China in 1997 as part of the "one country, two systems" philosophy, which promised him non-existent democratic freedoms in mainland China. However, some residents of the territory believe that Beijing has reduced their freedoms in recent years.

The central government of Beijing, led by the Communist Party, has condemned what he describes as violent and radical protesters who have vandalized against Chinese national symbols and flags in incidents parallel to major protests.

China accuses unidentified "foreign forces" of inciting the demonstration to curb the country's development. At the midday news of public television CCTV, a host read aloud an editorial entitled "The chaos in Hong Kong should not continue".