Hong Kong gears up for mass protests during Christmas holidays

Protestors in Hong Kong are gearing up to organise mass demonstrations across the state during the Christmas holidays. Protestors are planning events in districts across the city, including prime shopping malls. The six-month-long unrest is looking to continue in its full form as protestors are actively participating in the demonstrations. This week's protests follow rallies across different shopping malls including the one on Sunday.

Hong Kong unrest

On December 22, chaotic clashes broke out between police and protestors, who hurled stones, bricks, and glass at policemen and also kicked them during the scuffle. According to media reports, one policeman took out his gun towards the crowd but didn't fire at them. Police retaliated to the violence with a burst of pepper spray and charged them with batons. More than 1,000 people were rallying in support of China's ethnic Uighurs, who have been detained under mass re-education program. 

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According to local police, the rally had permission to be held but they took action against the demonstrators after they assaulted a policeman and helped escape an arrested person. Some protestors are also advocating full independence of Hong Kong from China, which the government has criticised. During the protest, demonstrators removed the national flag from its position at the protest site.

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According to reports, protestors are planning "Suck the Christmas" event over the course of the upcoming Christmas holidays. The protests planned for the upcoming week include demonstrations at five different shopping malls and a rally in the busy Tsim Sha Tsui shopping district. People in Hong Kong have accused Beijing of destroying their autonomous status which they inherited from the British.  

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Hong Kong is gripped in violent protests since June this year after China decided to bring in a bill that would have allowed Beijing to extradite prisoners to the mainland. After protests grew in numbers, China withdrew the bill but the protests didn't stop there. Now the protesters are demanding an independent commission to inquire into police brutality, retraction of "riot" characterisation of the protests and immediate release of all the arrested protesters.  

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(With input from agencies)