Hong Kong’s Lam to Visit Japan as Protest Violence Continues

(Bloomberg) -- Hong Kong protesters unleashed another wave of destruction on the city, setting fires and wrecking shops in a pattern of violence that has taken root after 20 weeks of demonstrations, and as Chief Executive Carrie Lam prepares to head to Japan for a two-day visit.

Arsonists used petrol bombs and other flammables on parts of rail stations and outlets of some mainland-owned retailers and banks on Sunday, while trashing the branches of other Chinese businesses. Among companies whose stores were reported to be set ablaze were smartphone maker Xiaomi Corp., Chinese medicine group Tong Ren Tang and fast food chain Yoshinoya.

Lam faces growing pressure from Hong Kong society, lawmakers and the international community over the demonstrations, which have taken their toll on the city’s economy and reputation. In her policy address last week, the chief executive said Hong Kong entered a recession in the third quarter and warned of an “unprecedented” economic challenge but offered no concessions to protesters.

Organizers estimated at least 350,000 people took part in an unauthorized demonstration on Sunday that failed to get approval because of the possibility of violence. Police used tear gas and water cannons on protesters who scattered to cause damage after the march ended.

“The movement won’t end if the government doesn’t make concessions,” said a 52-year-old lawyer who gave his name as Ng, and marched on Sunday. “What we may see is that the government would further crack down on the protests by using more violence.”

Lam is flying to Tokyo on Monday to attend the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Naruhito, which takes place Tuesday. Chief Secretary for Administration Matthew Cheung will be acting chief executive while she is away, the government said.

What started as a movement against a proposed law allowing extraditions to China has morphed into a mass anti-Beijing movement. Even after the bill was officially withdrawn, tensions continued to grow. The unrest dragged on with attacks spiraling into petrol bombs thrown at police, fights among opposing groups of protesters and knife attacks.

Police arrested a 22-year-old man for allegedly stabbing a teenager on Saturday. The 19-year-old victim was stabbed in the abdomen while he was handing out leaflets, Radio Television Hong Kong reported. Last week, Civil Human Rights Front organizer Jimmy Sham was hospitalized after he was attacked by hammer-wielding thugs. His group has been behind some of the largest protests during the last five months, including a few that have drawn over one million people. Earlier in October, a police officer was slashed in the neck.

Lam’s strongest measure to try combat the violent demonstrations was to invoke a colonial-era emergency law earlier this month to ban protesters from wearing face masks. Activists have largely ignored the regulation.

The chief executive also has to deal with increased scrutiny from the U.S., after the House passed a package of measures backing the pro-democracy movement. Among them was the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which subjects the city’s special U.S. trading status to annual reviews and provides for sanctions against officials deemed responsible for undermining its “fundamental freedoms and autonomy.”

The legislation must also pass the U.S. Senate and be signed by President Donald Trump to become law, but it already has strong bipartisan support in the Republican-run upper chamber.

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