The Central and Western district of Hong Kong are littered with trash and debris on Monday after clashes the previous night. Bricks were pried from pedestrian pavements and the soil was exposed to the air. Metal barriers dismantled by protesters were also discarded. (CHINA DAILY)

The Central and Western district of Hong Kong, including Central, the city’s prime business district, was littered with trash and debris after violent clashes erupted between protesters and police on Sunday night.

The past weekend is the third consecutive week the city experienced chaos and violence.

I hope the city can return to normal as soon as possible. The series of recent incidents have made residents jittery 

Chan, Shopowner of a seafood product store on Wing Lok Street

Calm returned to the area by 6 am on Monday, but garbage - including bottles, broken umbrellas and protesters’ homemade weapons - could still be seen scattered along the streets.

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Metal barriers dismantled by protesters were discarded and piled onto the streets after police dispersed the crowds. Some traffic lights, road signs and street lamps were also destroyed.

In addition, bricks had been pried from the ground and soil from flower beds dug up. Graffiti, bearing offensive language and attacking the government, was painted on the roads and walls of some buildings in the district.

Most of the rubbish was cleared away by 9 am.

Due to the lack of business and the rally in the area, a seafood product store on Wing Lok Street closed its door around 3 pm on Sunday, several hours earlier than usual.

(CHINA DAILY)

The store owner, surnamed Chan, told China Daily he hopes the city can return to normal as soon as possible, adding that the series of recent incidents have made residents jittery. 

He declined to tell the reporter his full name. 

An owner of a stationery store in the area, surnamed Lam, said the recent public demonstrations had a largely negative impact on his business. “I didn’t dare to open the door the whole day. There would have been no business even if I opened the store,” he said, adding that he hopes the protesters and the government can reach a mutual understanding.

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A Sheung Wan resident, surnamed Cheung, also said he did not go outside due to the escalating violence on Sunday. Cheung hopes the protests and rallies will stop so life could return to normal as soon as possible. 

(CHINA DAILY)

During Sunday’s clashes, police arrested at least 49 people for offenses including unauthorized assembly and possession of offensive weapons. Sixteen people were injured during the scuffles.   

On Monday morning, police severely condemned illegal acts by radical protesters who vandalized numerous government properties, started fires and attacked police officers with dangerous weapons on Sunday.