<![CDATA[Hong Kong protests: As demonstrators besiege station in rage over last Saturday's service disruption, Hang Hau MTR staff shut down gate]>
More than a hundred protesters besieged Hang Hau MTR station on the Tseung Kwan O line on Thursday, prompting staff to shut down a gate.
It came after workers' unions of the MTR Corporation urged the government to deploy extra police at every station to protect staff, like it did during the citywide strike earlier this week.
Protesters have been escalating their actions against the MTR Corp, which they have accused of siding with police during the ongoing civil unrest. They have been vandalising facilities in many stations.
At around 9pm, protesters started besieging Hang Hau MTR station demanding an explanation for why the railway company shut down Tseung Kwan O line last Saturday. They were chanting anti-extradition bill slogans like "Five demands, not one less". Anti-riot police officers soon arrived at the scene, while nearby shops also closed early.
At around 10pm, as crowds grew bigger outside exit A and started abusing police, the MTR staff shut down the gate.
Anti-riot police officers rushed to Hang Hau MTR station. Photo: Handout alt=Anti-riot police officers rushed to Hang Hau MTR station. Photo: Handout
On the previous night, protesters had besieged Po Lam station for the same reason and attacked the station supervisor. They had also vandalised ticket machines and entry gates. Two men were arrested.
The supervisor, who suffered injuries to his hands and neck, was later hospitalised.
MTR Corp has obtained an injunction against disruption of its operations to prevent potential violence, and made ad-hoc arrangements to suspend services and close stations because of protests or rallies.
The head of the Police Public Relations Branch, John Tse Chun-chung, on Thursday slammed protesters for "damaging MTR stations for the sake of damaging".
"They smashed MTR facilities every day and caused great inconvenience to others. They also besieged and attacked citizens for no reason," Tse said, adding that officers were patrolling the stations regularly.
Separately in Prince Edward, protesters besieged the Mong Kok Police Station for the seventh straight day. They formed a barricade outside the station and also verbally abused officers.
In Tin Shui Wai, protesters held hands and formed a human chain outside exit C of the MTR station. Many of them were students in uniform. The chain extended to Tin Wah Estate, which is 2.8km (1.7 miles) away.
This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
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