A court injunction has been issued to remove protesters from Hong Kong airport after a night of clashes with police, according to local reports.
The South China Morning Post reports that the Airport Authority was granted an injunction. However, the scope of the injunction remains unclear. It would go into effect after being posted in a public area of the airport.
Hong Kong correspondent Patrick Fok told The AM Show on Wednesday morning he was also aware of reports a court injunction had been issued.
Protesters clashed with police at the international airport overnight after flights were disrupted for a second day, plunging the former British colony deeper into turmoil.
The scuffles broke out between police and protesters on late Tuesday evening, after an injured person was taken out of the main terminal by medics.
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Several police vehicles were blocked by protesters and riot police moved in, pushing some demonstrators back and using pepper spray at times.
The violence has been condemned by British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab who tweeted that pictures of the clashes were "worrying".
"As I said to Carrie Lam during my call last week, we condemn the violence and encourage constructive dialogue to find a peaceful way forward."
CNN reports that at least four people were detained by police during the clashes.
However, protesters also allegedly detained a man who has been identified as a mainland China reporter for the state-run newspaper the Global Times. The man was identified by the newspaper's editor on Twitter.
It's now believed all extra police which arrived at the airport late on Tuesday along with the tactical response unit have left the airport. Protesters remain, however.
New Zealand's advisory for Kiwis living in or travelling to Hong Kong is "exercise increased caution" with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade citing civil unrest.
Hong Kong's Airport Authority said operations at the airport had been "seriously disrupted" due to thousands of black-clad protesters jamming the terminal, chanting, singing and waving banners.
It forced a second day of flight delays with check-in operations suspended at roughly 8:30pm on Tuesday (NZ Time). Hundreds of flights were affected when operations were suspended on Monday night.
Hong Kong's stockmarket fell to a seven-month low.
Ten weeks of increasingly violent clashes between police and protesters have roiled the Asian financial hub as thousands of residents chafe at a perceived erosion of freedoms and autonomy under Chinese rule.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights urged Hong Kong to exercise restraint and investigate evidence of its forces firing tear gas at protesters in ways banned under international law.
Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam became emotional during a news conference in the government headquarters complex, which is fortified behind 1.8m-high water-filled barricades.
"Take a minute to look at our city, our home," she said, her voice cracking.
"Can we bear to push it into the abyss and see it smashed to pieces?"
China this week condemned some protesters for using dangerous tools to attack police, calling the clashes "sprouts of terrorism".
They present President Xi Jinping with one of his biggest challenges since he came to power in 2012.
Reuters / Newshub.
