Hong Kong protesters disrupt morning subway service

Hundreds of Hong Kongprotesters blocked train services during the early morning rushhour on Tuesday, causing commuter chaos in the latestanti-government campaign to roil the former British colony.

What started three months ago as rallies against anextradition bill that would have allowed people in Hong Kong tobe sent to mainland China for trial, has now morphed into awider backlash against the city's government and its politicalmasters in Beijing.

Protests have occurred almost daily, sometimes with littlenotice, disrupting business, piling pressure on Hong Kong'sbeleaguered government and stretching the city's police force,which some have accused of using excessive force.

Activists blocked train doors, playing havoc with servicesand forcing hundreds of people to stream out of railway stationsin search of alternative transport.

"We don't know how long we are going to stay here, we don'thave a leader, as you can see this is a mass movement now," saidSharon, a 21-year-old masked protester who declined to give herfull name. "It's not our intention to inconvenience people, butwe have to make the authorities understand why we protest. Wewill continue with this as long as need."

Others chanted, "Liberate Hong Kong," and "Revolution of ourTime."

By mid-morning commuters were crammed into stations acrossthe city, waiting to board trains that were badly delayed, withno service on some lines.

Rail operator MTR Corp said urged people to seek other forms of transport, while public broadcaster RTHK reported that Transport Secretary Frank Chan had called on protesters to stop targetting a rail network that provided transport to five million people daily.

Increasingly violent protests

Hong Kong, which returned to China in 1997, is embroiled inits worst political crisis for decades after two months ofincreasingly violent protests that have posed one of the gravestpopulist challenges to Communist Party rulers in Beijing.

China on Monday reiterated its support for Hong Kong'sembattled leader, Carrie Lam, and its police and urged Hong Kongpeople to oppose violence.

The latest protest follows a demonstration at theChinese-ruled city's international airport on Friday and violentprotests at the weekend when activists clashed with police whofired rubber bullets, tear gas and sponge grenades acrowd-control weapon.

Some scuffles broke out between commuters and protesters,who gradually began to disperse, while more police were deployedin train stations, where they stopped protesters to search theirbags.

Commuters grew increasingly frustrated over the traveldisruption, and shops, including bakeries and conveniencestores, had also begun to close.

"It's so inconvenient and annoying, really. I am in hurry towork, to make a living. Will you give away your salary to me?"said a 64-year-old man surnamed Liu.

Others were more supportive, refusing to blame theprotesters.

"This non co-operation movement is caused by Carrie Lam. Shedoesn't cooperate with the people of Hong Kong or respond totheir demands," Jason Lo, 31, told Reuters as he waited for atrain.