Hong Kong activists call for general strike to paralyze city as protests spread

Democracy activists in Hong Kong have called for a general strike to stop the city on Monday as expressions of anger against Chinese influence intensify.

During the ninth consecutive weekend of unrest, hundreds of masked protesters lit fires, blocked key roads, sprayed traffic lights and threw objects, including bricks, at the police station.

Riot police fired tear gas to disperse protesters in a popular shopping area, forcing shops and malls, including Times Square, to close early.

Many flights were canceled Monday, apparently because aviation workers were planning to go on strike.

"We extinguished the fire because we do not want traffic at work tomorrow or citizens to go to work," said a protester dressed in black from head to toe.

The demonstrators, who accuse the Chinese Communist Party of infringing on their freedoms, have adopted a flash tactic, quickly pbading from one place to another to escape capture and using platforms in China. line such as Telegram to lead hundreds of people.

After a rally in the western district of the island, where thousands rallied on Sunday to urge the authorities to listen to the demands of the public, police fired tear gas to disperse protesters.

Some protests ended peacefully, but activists then blocked roads in Tseung Kwan O town, erecting barricades.

They also prevented traffic from entering the Cross Harbor Tunnel linking the island of Hong Kong to the Kowloon Peninsula.

Wearing yellow helmets and black masks, protesters in the upscale Causeway Bay area on the island faced more tear gas.

Gasoline pushed most of the crowd, but some protesters threw cans at the officers and threw objects. Some scoffed at "gangsters" at the police line.

Police said earlier that she had arrested more than 20 people for crimes, including the illegal gathering and badault, after Saturday's parades turned into now-routine clashes with the police.

Residents from one neighborhood joined forces with the protesters to surround a police station, shouting at the riot police to leave.

Activists want an independent investigation into police abuse complaints and the government's response to an attack at a railway station that injured 44 people.

They also want Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam to resign, even though she suspended the extradition bill to China that initially triggered the protests.

Fears about Chinese influence in Hong Kong were further fueled by the arrests of booksellers.

The Hong Kong government has declared that violence and illegal demonstrations are pushing the city to an extremely dangerous level.

A statement said the unrest would be detrimental to Hong Kong's society and economic livelihood.

The official Xinhua news agency said: "The central government will not remain inactive and will not let this situation continue. We firmly believe that Hong Kong will be able to overcome the challenges and challenges ahead. "

The protests in the former British colony constitute the biggest popular challenge faced by Chinese leader Xi Jinping during his seven years in power.

"Even though Carrie Lam resigns, it's still not resolved. This is the Communist Party, the Chinese government, "said Angie, a 24-year-old activist.

Additional reports by agencies