Fiver months of anti-government protests to cause recession in Hong Kong

After five months of anti-government protests, Hong Kong has fallen into recession. As per the Financial Secretary, it is unlikely to face any growth this year.

“The blow (from the protests) to our economy is comprehensive,” Paul Chan said in a blog post, adding that a preliminary estimate for third-quarter GDP on Thursday would show two successive quarters of contraction - the technical definition of a recession.

On Sunday, the black-clad and masked demonstrators set shops to fire and hurled petrol bombs at police stations over which following a similar pattern policer responded with tear gas, water cannon, and rubber bullets.

Police last weekend fired water cannon at a group of people standing outside a mosque and journalists have been wounded in clashes.

The police, who deny using excessive force, told reporters they had repeatedly asked journalists to keep their distance so police can do their job.

They said an officer had removed a journalist’s mask but they said they did not know the full context. The Hong Kong Free Press reporter was arrested for failing to show ID and being uncooperative and obstructing police.

The programming staff union of public broadcaster RTHK said on Monday it had called on police to identify officers who “attacked and ripped the face mask” off one of its journalists on Sunday.