Hong Kong protesters move back to the streets

Pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong shifted out of the airport and back into the streets on Wednesday — as the Chinese appeared to amass paramilitary vehicles in a nearby sports arena.

Heavily armed Hong Kong police faced off with civilians Wednesday night outside a police station in the residential Sham Shui Po area, where a vigil was taking place, according to CNN.

Cops fired tear gas at a group of protesters who had gathered to burn phony currency and incense to signal their opposition to police during the Hungry Ghost Festival, when offerings are made to fend off the spirits of ancestors.

Earlier in the day, only a few dozen protesters remained camped out at the busy airport arrivals area after a mass demonstration that exploded into mob violence forced more than 100 flight cancellations Tuesday.

The lingering activists spread pamphlets and posters across the floor but were not impeding the flow of passengers as additional ID checks were put in place. The US State Department issued a travel warning Wednesday as flights resumed.

Meanwhile, concerns mounted that China will send paramilitary forces and armored vehicles — which were amassed at a sports complex in the city of Shenzhen — into Hong Kong to quell the unrest. China said on Wednesday the protests had reached “near terrorism” levels and must be severely punished.

The US State Department called for restraint and said Washington was deeply concerned at the Chinese paramilitary movements.

“The ongoing demonstrations in Hong Kong reflect the sentiment of Hong Kongers and their broad and legitimate concerns about the erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy,” a department spokeswoman said.

President Trump used the ongoing unrest to rage against the Fed’s handling of interest rates.

“We are winning, big time, against China. Companies & jobs are fleeing. Prices to us have not gone up, and in some cases, have come down,” he tweeted. “China is not our problem, though Hong Kong is not helping. Our problem is with the Fed. Raised too much & too fast.”

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