Hong Kong Sees Chaotic Halloween as China Hints at New Measures
- Police fire tear gas as protesters defy mask ban on holiday
- Chinese leaders vow to bolster city’s national security laws
Masked 'Halloween' protesters gather near the Lan Kwai Fong area in Hong Kong on Oct. 31, 2019.
Photographer: Justin Chin/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Hong Kong police scuffled with protesters and party-goers alike in a chaotic Halloween of revelry and demonstrations, as Communist Party leaders in Beijing signaled tougher security measures in the restive financial center.
Clouds of tear gas wafted through the city’s Central and Mong Kok areas, where protesters -- many wearing costume masks in defiance of a recent ban on face coverings -- gathered to push their demand for greater democracy and police accountability. Riot police closed the holiday hotspot of Lan Kwai Fong around 8:30 p.m., leading to tense confrontations with costumed party-goers who were shut out.