Hong Kong airport closed

[WHBM]

Significant protest in terminal, ops disrupted

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-49317975

[rob_ginger]

Confirmed by the Aussie ABC and SBS new organisations:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-12/hong-kong-airport-cancels-flights-as-protests-continue/11406806

Just wonder where this is going to end? Not well, I think! And what tourist in their right mind would go to HK at the moment?

[Mike Flynn]

Significant protest in terminal, ops disrupted

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-49317975

Traffic to the airport backed up for miles.

This disruption will take some time to sort out.

[Dan_Brown]

Confirmed by 9the Aussie ABC and SBS new organisations:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-12/hong-kong-airport-cancels-flights-as-protests-continue/11406806

Just wonder where this is going to end? Not well, I think! And what tourist in their right mind would go to HK at the moment?

It will end very badly indeed. For thousands I expect it will end in death. We are all aware how the Chinese deal with demonstrators.

[DaveReidUK]

Cathay is also under pressure from China, including a boycott campaign orchestrated by the Chinese press. It has already suspended a pilot and fired ground staff for alleged participation in the street protests.

Its crews flying into China are being warned that their phones and social media accounts are subject to inspection by Chinese authorities.

Cathay threatens to fire staff over 'illegal' HK protests (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49317221)

[anxiao]

The Hong Kong police certainly appear to be applying more aggressive tactics to the crowds, although we have yet to see ball ammunition. I see a problem with the reputation in Hong Kong of the police as they reduce themselves to a bunch of third world thugs

It took many years, perhaps 25-30 to climb out from the “Best Asian police force money can buy” status of the 1970s to a level of trust that the man on the Mong Kok omnibus could turn to. And they did so, and the only people that feared them in the early years of the 21st century were the villains.

Something has changed. In the last 20 days the HKP organisation has shown themselves to be trigger happy and ill disciplined, using dis- proportionate force against crowds that should and could have been pacified and dispersed by the methods that the HKP themselves devised and deployed in the 1990s.

Example. The 31st December celebrations each year with around 2 million on the streets, and all the police wear flashing teddy bear badges on their lapels. They were trained in crowd control to encourage movement of large numbers in the required direction, crown nudging, which they did with exemplary skill and control. No head locks, no rattan beatings, and certainly no anti personnel ordinance. These crowd control techniques were emulated by other forces around the world.

And now? These police live alongside the ones they are beating the brick dust out of. They are known, they are someone’s brother or neighbour. They will be despised and vilified for turning up at a prayer meeting in riot gear and escalating the (originally) peaceful protests of the youth of Hong Kong. The HKP have lost the psychological war in the first battle.

It will take many years for the police reputation to be regained. They have now joined the ranks of the police of dictators and third world despots who police for the corrupt executive and not for the people.

[atakacs]

Sorry to ask but was there an actual demonstration at the airport?

[anxiao]

Umm yeeesss.

Read the news and return to the thread please.

[touch&go]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-asia-china-49317261/hong-kong-protests-violence-erupts-in-train-stations

For the world to see, how can the police regain respect.

[atakacs]

Right you are

To be honest not covered as it should in the west IMHO

[standbykid]

It has been implied that the 'police' may actually be military from the mainland.

[Longtimer]

Hong Kong airport authority set to resume flights Tuesday after cancellations on 4th day of protestsAll flights not checked in Monday were cancelled amid peaceful anti-government demonstrationsThomson Reuters · Posted: Aug 12, 2019 4:46 AM ET Last Updated: an hour ago

Hong Kong's Airport Authority cancelled all flights not yet checked in by Monday afternoon because of anti-government protests, the agency said. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

The Hong Kong airport will restart flights starting at 6 a.m. Tuesday after it shut down operations when thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators occupied its main terminal.

Hong Kong cancelled all flights not yet checked in by Monday afternoon, the agency said, as anti-government protesters peacefully demonstrated at the airport for a fourth day.

"Other than departure flights that have completed the check-in process and the arrival flights already heading to Hong Kong, all other flights have been cancelled for the rest of today," the authority said in a statement.

Traffic on roads to the airport was congested and car park spaces were full, it said.

A traffic jam soon formed on the highway leading back to Hong Kong's city centre, with some people walking in the sweltering weather.

Earlier Monday, Hong Kong police showed off water cannons that could be deployed in the case of future demonstrations, a development which Amnesty International has warned could lead to serious injuries if misused within the densely populated city's confined spaces.

[Load Toad]

It has been implied that the 'police' may actually be military from the mainland.

- Given we are hearing Mandarin spoken by some cops that is certainly 'possible'.

[Skeleton]

- Given we are hearing Mandarin spoken by some cops that is certainly 'possible'.

I would up that possible to a highly likely and it looks like their are more on the way.

https://www.liveleak.com/view?t=udHke_1565656998

I fear this will not end well for many.

[ATC Watcher]

crews flying into China are being warned that their phones and social media accounts are subject to inspection by Chinese authorities.
That part is a scary as what is about to happen to the young kids .There are also some very disturbing news about surveillance cameras with face recognition software being introduced in various public locations at the moment in Europe ( e.g. France and UK) . The future is not looking good folks ...

[DDDriver]

Seems like HKG is closed again.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-49330848


I would up that possible to a highly likely and it looks like their are more on the way.

https://www.liveleak.com/view?t=udHke_1565656998

I fear this will not end well for many.

​​​​​​​Agreed.

[touch&go]

Interesting question, CX are in a difficult position with pressure from the mainland government, what happens if it is felt by the HK people and supporters around the world they have been on the the side of the government and decide to boycott the airline in the future?

[oceancrosser]

I have been thinking how long till the Red Army rolls in “to restore order”. Would be the end of HK as we have known it.

[cessnapete]

I have been thinking how long till the Red Army rolls in “to restore order”. Would be the end of HK as we have known it.


Vid of long lines of military trucks just over the Border, recently posted on Twitter.

[strake]

Tuesday evening and protesters are still in place. I can't see this ending well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm1ZeM14lEw

[Paul852]

I have been thinking how long till the Red Army rolls in “to restore order”. Would be the end of HK as we have known it.The "Red Army" was the Soviet Union. This would be the "People's Liberation Army", coming to liberate us HKers from any ideas of unapproved thought or action.

[krismiler]

Vid of long lines of military trucks just over the Border, recently posted on Twitter.

Supposedly fake news, but I can't see this ending well either.

[unworry]

Supposedly fake news, but I can't see this ending well either.

I'm not sure about that ...

The Guardian today: "State media outlets [posted] videos with a rousing choral soundtrack showing armoured troop carriers purportedly driving to Shenzhen, the south-eastern state that borders Hong Kong. Chinese officials have released a series of threatening statements about Hong Kong's protesters, with one claiming 'terrorism' was emerging in the city on Monday after flights were cancelled Subscribe to Guardian News on YouTube"

You would hope the CCP government would want to avoid another tiananmen.

[eu01]

Regardless of where my political sympathies are, I'd like to bring up another issue. The Chinese from HK have just invented a new tool of the political struggle, paralyzing airports en masse. Wishing them and the democracy well in principle, I really wouldn't like to see their followers using this tool elsewhere. What a mess could potentially arise... are we prepared?

[Lord Bracken]

That part is a scary as what is about to happen to the young kids .There are also some very disturbing news about surveillance cameras with face recognition software being introduced in various public locations at the moment in Europe ( e.g. France and UK) . The future is not looking good folks ...

Already in use in Hong Kong, which is why the protestors have been using lasers during protests to disrupt the cameras.

[anxiao]

At HKIA now and just watched a young chap use a much lower tech device. He hung a red umbrella over the CCTV camera. Effective!

All staff at the airport have disappeared (22.20 local) and pax are hanging around waiting to see if any flights are going. Most check in desks are occupied by sleeping pax. Crews are reporting but it is up to HKIA to open the check in facilities before anything moves.

Still boisterous cheering coming from the various groups of demonstrators. I doubt anything will move for a couple of hours, if at all tonight.

[armchairpilot94116]

Protests at the airport are not new to that part of the world. In the 70s and 80s the rising opposition to the then ruling KMT party in Taiwan used large scale street protests in major cities in Taiwan. Often blocking the railroad stations (sometimes even bringing rail traffic to a complete halt with thousands of people on the tracks. And the TPE airport was often brought to temporary closure as they blocked all access to the airport.

Taiwan riot police were very busy in those days with the infamous yellow riot control (essentially crash tenders) trucks in use everywhere.
These protests only ended when the opposition DPP party came to power. The current President of Taiwan is from the DPP and her party may currently be the majority in government.

The KMT controlled government of Taiwan in those days , under the direction of Chiang Ching Kuo (son of the late Generalissimo Chiang Kai shek) took a benign attitude and did not release the military on the rioters, which allowed the eventual ascension of the opposition party. IF the KMT had resorted to it's old ways (228 incident) many thousands would have died.

A lot of people were bloodied in those riots in Taiwan but if I recall correctly (I lived in Taiwan in those decades) nobody was killed although many rioters as well as riot control policemen were sent to the hospital.

I watched one early morning in Taipei in the late 70s as Taiwan riot police were practicing riot control and right behind them were the military with guns. But the military was never used (never made an appearance in any riots) and the riot police were ordered not to use violent force, other than the yellow water trucks and batons. Riot police never carried guns.

The problem is that the HK rioters are facing the CCP government of China. Which is a different animal entirely. The CCP faces dissent from Tibet and Mongolia, the problems with integration of HK and the Taiwan issue. They are likely to take a very heavy hand. They will not allow HK independence because to do so will be to allow TAiwan Independence as well as Tibet and Mongolia independence. The CCP will fight tooth and claw to retain it's control of China.

IF protests disrupt the society in HK to the point where the airport can not open and function and HK itself is brought to a standstill I can see the CCP government of China responding with force.

[Carbon Bootprint]

Regardless of where my political sympathies are, I'd like to bring up another issue. The Chinese from HK have just invented a new tool of the political struggle, paralyzing airports en masse. Wishing them and the democracy well in principle, I really wouldn't like to see their followers using this tool elsewhere. What a mess could potentially arise... are we prepared?
IIRC this happened in Bangkok once or twice some years back, so it's not exactly a first. A most bedeviling tactic in any case.

[AirportPlanner1]

Right you are

To be honest not covered as it should in the west IMHO

You’re joking, right? Or is Fox News your outlet of choice?

[Chris2303]

Quite possibly, but I don't think that the protectors have considered that outcome

[DDDriver]

BBC showing security staff inspecting passports and travel tickets outside the terminal today with a queuing system being implemented, so (in theory!) no protests in departures. Apparently a small number still in arrivals, however far fewer than yesterday.

[gearlever]

Cathay Pacific says has fired two pilots (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-protests-cathay-pacific/cathay-pacific-says-has-fired-two-pilots-over-hong-kong-protests-idUSKCN1V413C)

[Paul852]

Better detail (including the dismissal-worthy photo) from the HongKongFreePress (https://www.hongkongfp.com/2019/08/14/breaking-airline-cathay-pacific-fires-two-pilots-hong-kong-protests-amid-pressure-beijing/).

[Silvershadow]

Cathay Pacific says has fired two pilots (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-protests-cathay-pacific/cathay-pacific-says-has-fired-two-pilots-over-hong-kong-protests-idUSKCN1V413C)

Only 47 to go!

[plainmaker]

Interesting point to ponder. Is it possible that Mainland China could send in 'agitators' to stir things up? - thereby giving them an excuse to 'restore' order. I just wonder the benefit of continuing the fracas. A bit of a David and Goliath situation. From the PRC's perspective it would cure the issue of having the HK thorn in their side. Would not be the first time 'disruptors' were sent in to stir things along to achieve a means to an end.

Conspiracy theory nightmare!. Ducks for Cover!

[das Uber Soldat]

Interesting point to ponder. Is it possible that Mainland China could send in 'agitators' to stir things up? - thereby giving them an excuse to 'restore' order. I just wonder the benefit of continuing the fracas. A bit of a David and Goliath situation. From the PRC's perspective it would cure the issue of having the HK thorn in their side. Would not be the first time 'disruptors' were sent in to stir things along to achieve a means to an end.

Conspiracy theory nightmare!. Ducks for Cover!
Its not much of a conspiracy. Plenty of video of "HK police" speaking mandarin to each other. The PRC are deeply involved here, steering events to suit their goals.

[The Range]

Its not much of a conspiracy. Plenty of video of "HK police" speaking mandarin to each other. The PRC are deeply involved here, steering events to suit their goals.

What do they usually speak?

[Shytehawk]

Cantonese?

[Paul852]

Yes, Cantonese 99% of the time. Sometimes English at the more senior levels.

[givemewings]

It has been implied that the 'police' may actually be military from the mainland.
there's photos circulating in social media showing "typical" police behaviour pre protests and police behaviour since around the time things got more violent and ugly.

One image shows the "horse" defensive stance typically adapted by Chinese military juxtaposed with the different typical stance of HKP pre protest. Photos from the last week show same behaviour and stances between CM and HKP. Draw your own conclusions.

I frequently nightstopped in HK until late 2017. Sometimes 4 or 5 times a month. Scary to think thst people just like me could be hauled off to the mainland at the whim of the Chinese government.

Crews still flying there should be extremely careful. I'd honestly buy a burner phone and leave the laptop/iPad at home if going to HK.

[Admiral346]

https://proxy.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fs-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com%2F736x%2F71%2F14%2Ffd%2F7114fdfd9f9e0c5f9833a e3fd208ec49--british-soldier-british-army.jpg&f=1

Now what exactly was this gentleman doing in Belfast?

[etudiant]

The Chinese leadership is just wrapping up its annual two week planning session in Beidaihe, where Hong Kong was surely a major topic.
As many of the individuals involved have substantial economic interests in Hong Kong, often via family members, they are personally motivated to find a solution that does not destroy that wealth. Consequently a military crackdown seems counterproductive.
That would suggest the current policy of using the police will remain in effect, with the expectation that the disorganized nature of the protests will ensure they gradually fade, much as the Gilets Jaunes in France have.

[Timmy Tomkins]

Rupert Hogg, CEO of Cathay has now "resigned" after conflict over dealing with staff who took part in the protests. Chinese authorities want lists of names.

[Paul852]

Kudos to Hogg for, I assume, declining to kowtow to the Communist Party.