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Pro-democracy protesters aim to choke Hong Kong with city-wide strike

Pro-democracy protesters aim to choke Hong Kong with city-wide strike
August 5, 2019

HONG KONG - Pro-democracy protesters hope to ramp up pressure on Hong Kong's embattled pro-Beijing leaders by launching a city-wide strike on Monday in a bid to show there is still broad public support for their movement despite weeks of chaos.

At least 14,000 people from more than 20 sectors had already committed to the strike, according to organisers - many hiding their identities behinds masks for fear of reprisal.

An estimated 100 flights were also shown as being cancelled on Monday, and media reports said this was due to aviation workers planning to strike.

People have also indicated plans online to either strike or phone in sick on Monday -- from civil servants and social workers, to flight attendants, pilots, bus drivers and even employees of the city's Disneyland. There are also renewed calls to disrupt the city's famously efficient subway system during rush hour on Monday morning. In a strongly worded statement late on Sunday the government said the events of the day showed once again that violence and illegal protests were spreading and pushing Hong Kong toward what it called "the extremely dangerous edge." Such acts had already gone far beyond the limits of peaceful and rational protests and would harm Hong Kong's society and economic livelihood, it said. The protest movement is experimenting with more varied civil disobedience techniques after huge rallies failed to move Beijing. The semi-autonomous southern Chinese city has witnessed two months of unprecedented protests and clashes triggered by opposition to a planned extradition law that quickly evolved into a wider movement for democratic reform and a halt to sliding freedoms. On Sunday night, different districts of the city were filled with the sound of protesters erecting, and just as hastily taking down their improvised barricades. Throughout the weekend, riot police fired tear gas as they confronted the protesters. On Saturday, police detained a 36-year old Filipino and a 26-year old South Korean worker were detained by police, after being accused of taking part in the protest, according to the South China Morning Post. They are the first two foreigners arrested since demonstrations began.
Hong Kong
Authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing have signalled a hardening stance with the Chinese military saying it is ready to quell the "intolerable" unrest if requested, and dozens of protesters charged with rioting. The largely leaderless protest movement uses social messaging apps to coordinate, and the strike action appears to be gaining more traction than previous strike calls in the last few weeks. SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES