Lunch-hour protest in Central, commuters suffer morning chaos

HONG KONG - Thousands of commuters coped with uncertain transportation on Wednesday morning in Hong Kong as radical protesters continued to disrupt the city's rail service and paralyze traffic.

While the situation eased later in the day, hundreds of protesters, some wearing masks and office attire, took over sidewalks in the Central business district during their lunch hours. Riot police put up a flag warning they would use force to disperse them, though traffic was largely uninterrupted.

Separately, in another busy area - the Kwun Tong neighborhood of Kowloon - hundreds of demonstrators marched down a main road and blocked traffic.

Security Secretary John Lee urged protesters still on the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) campus to surrender to police "in a peaceful and orderly manner" Wednesday, adding that the incident "cannot drag on forever." Almost 900 had surrendered themselves to police, 300 of which were under the age of 18, he told reporters outside the legislative council chamber.

Police will work with other departments to try to clear road blocks and re-open surrounding roads and the nearby Cross Harbour Tunnel, he said. Lee also said authorities arrested 730 people for various crimes Tuesday.

Train services on the Island, Tsuen Wan and Kwun Tong lines are gradually returning to normal after morning disruptions, the MTR Corp. said on its website around noon. Services between East Tsim Sha Tsui and Tuen Mun stations on the West Rail Line were running normally, although the East Rail Line still faces disruptions.

Rail service along the Island, Tseung Kwan O, Kwun Tong, Tsuen Wan and West Rail lines was delayed between 10 and 15 minutes in the morning. Platforms of different railway stations were packed with passengers. Some waited for more than half an hour but could not board a train.

The first train from Fanling along the East Rail Line was delayed as considerable debris was found near the station and a bicycle was seen hanging from an overhead cable that runs above the tracks.

Cross-Harbour Tunnel – a major connecter for Kowloon and Hong Kong Island – still remained inaccessible on account of the vandalism of the vicinity of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. All bus services across the tunnel were suspended.