HK Limps Back To Life As Offices, Schools Resume

Hong Kong struggled to get back on the rails on Tuesday as offices and schools reopened after a three-day holiday that saw widespread violence and the closing down of the entire MTR system, leaving the city in a crippled state.

Protesters had taken to the streets on Friday evening after the government brought in an anti-mask law invoking emergency regulations and the agitation against this continued over the three-day weekend. In an unprecedented move, the MTR suspended its entire services after several of its stations came under attack, and operated only partial services over the following three days.

On Tuesday, as MTR services resumed, over a dozen stations remained closed. Despite this, passengers who took trains in the morning said they found their journeys smooth. One commuter, Ernest Fung, said he had to walk a longer distance than usual because Tseung Kwan O Station was closed, but he found the delay to his journey acceptable.

But some people who tried to catch buses from Tseung Kwan O complained of long delays in the morning. Around 7am, as the rush hours started, many buses that arrived at the interchange station were already full. Passengers complained of long waits as several packed buses just went by them.

As some traffic lights were damaged during the protests, the roads were often also clogged.

On the Hong Kong Island side, a commuter who gave her name as Winnie, said she didn't encounter any issues when she travelled from Diamond Hill to Central. She said as it was a long weekend, many people may have gone on holiday and there was less of a rush than normal.

But she said the decision by the MTR to end train services on Tuesday evening by 8pm was a "disaster". Winnie said she would have to leave work early because of this.