Hong Kong protests are entering their 18th week, with one teenage protester being shot with live ammunition by police. Dan digs into how we got here and what comes next, with The Wall Street Journal’s Natasha Khan.
Go deeper: On China anniversary, violence erupts between Hong Kong police and protesters
Photo: Laurel Chor/Getty Images
Activity in Hong Kong was on pause Saturday after a ban on face masks, used by protestors to conceal their identities from the government, prompted violent protests Friday, reports Bloomberg.
What's happening: Businesses, banks and rail services closed for the first time in nearly 20 years, per Bloomberg. Protesters came out on Saturday, but in smaller numbers due to the shutdown trains, reports AP. This is the 18th weekend of protests in Hong Kong.
Police fire tear gas during a rally in the Tsim Sha Tsui district in Hong Kong on Sunday. Photo: Philip Fong/AFP via Getty Images
Hong Kong riot police used tear gas and water cannons on thousands of demonstrators to break up a rally against police brutality Sunday, Reuters reports. Many demonstrators donned banned face masks, it noted.
Why it matters: Hong Kong authorities hoped the withdrawal of an extradition bill that set off months of protests in the Chinese territory would calm unrest in the Asian finance hub. But protesters are concerned that the high degree of autonomy they've experienced since the former British colony was returned to China in 1997 is under threat from Chinese authorities.
Go deeper: China's Hong Kong checkmate
Chan Tong-kai walks out of the Pik Uk Prison in Hong Kong on Wednesday. Photo: Philip Fong/AFP via Getty Images
Murder suspect Chan Tong-kai, whose case prompted Hong Kong's government to introduce a bill that would've exposed Hong Kongers to extradition to mainland China, was released from prison Wednesday, the BBC reports. He was released as officials were preparing to formally withdraw the controversial bill, per AP.
Why it matters: The bill triggered months of massive demonstrations in the Chinese territory that morphed into a wider pro-democracy protest movement that's become embroiled in U.S. politics. Congress has raised China's ire by pressing ahead with a bill supporting the Hong Kong protesters, and the NBA has become involved in a standoff with Chinese officials over the movement.