Christine Wang moved to Hong Kong from the mainland seven years ago, and sympathised with the initial demands of protesters opposed to legislation allowing extraditions to China.

“I did not support the bill. But the bill was one issue, and what happened later, including the damaging acts that emerged, are another issue,” the 33-year-old told AFP.

Like other mainlanders who spoke to AFP, Wang asked to use a pseudonym, fearing reprisals in an increasingly febrile atmosphere where those perceived to back the government or Beijing have been the target of verbal and physical abuse.

She works part-time as both a university research assistant and in insurance sales. Business has plunged up to 80 percent in recent months, she says, with demonstrations paralysing commerce in parts of the city.