Protest cripple parts of Hong Kong for 4th day

Hong Kong, Nov 14 (UNI) Anti-government protesters blocked highways and other transport links to disrupt the city for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday, forcing closure of schools, varsities and shopping malls.

Varsity students maintained their blockades of major roads. Police fired tear gas near the tunnel early to clear the protesters, BBC reported.

Last night, the city’s Education Bureau announced that all schools would be shut today as a precautionary measure.

Several universities also announced there would be no classes on campuses for the rest of the year from Thursday.

A number of major shopping malls also announced they would close today.

The protestors are furious about what they see as meddling by Beijing in the freedoms guaranteed under the “one country, two systems” formula put in place when the territory returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Sixty-four people have been admitted to Hong Kong’s hospitals in the wake of the most recent wave of escalation in China’s administrative region, media reported, citing the local Hospital Authority.

Among those hospitalised, 34 people were in stable condition, while 23 people had been discharged and one person was still receiving medical aid.