Hong Kong protesters close airport

Thousands of protesters in Hong Kong stormed the Hong Kong International Airport on Aug. 12, causing the cancellations of all flights for more than a day. Though there were some clashes between protesters and police within the airport, eventually the protesters left peacefully.

Regularly blocking major roads and disrupting public transportation systems, the protests in Hong Kong — which started on June 9 against a proposed bill that would have allowed authorities in mainland China to arrest and extradite Hong Kong citizens suspected of crimes against the state — have been ongoing, with the largest gatherings happening on weekends.

As protests have continued, now also calling for democratic reforms, police crackdowns have increased, with numerous injuries to both civilians and police. In a show of force, China moved soldiers just outside of the city of Hong Kong in mid-August.