MTR Warns Vandalism May Force Longer Shutdown

The MTR Corporation says protester violence is endangering passengers and means staff can't travel to damaged stations to assess damage or carry out repairs - and warned that further attacks may leave the network out of action for longer.

In a statement issued just after midnight on Sunday, it said it's still working out what services will be available for Monday, but said recent protester vandalism is taking a significant toll of operations.

It said protesters attacked multiple stations on Sunday afternoon, including Yau Ma Tei and Kowloon Tong, damaging entry gates, CCTV cameras and setting fires. It says protesters also threw objects on to the East Rail Line.

"The corporation expresses its anger over protesters setting fires at multiple locations on railway premises and damaging railway facilities which seriously undermined railway safety," it said in the statement, adding that it "strongly condemns" the actions.

On Sunday afternoon, it closed the Yau Ma Tei and Kowloon Tong stations, and suspended the service between Kowloon Tong and Hung Hom stations on the East Rail Line. It subsequently suspended the train service on several other lines, including the Tsuen Wan, Kwun Tong, Tseung Kwan O, Island and South Island lines.

On Sunday evening, it closed a number of other stations because of damage, and operated a limited service on the Airport Express.

Protests have hit the MTR hard over the long weekend.

The entire MTR network was closed down by around half past ten on Friday night due to vandalism, and the stations remained closed on Saturday. Fewer than half of its 93 stations opened on Sunday morning - only to be hit by fresh attacks in the afternoon and evening.

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