Hong Kong airport says it will restart flights on Tuesday after it completely shut down operations when thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators occupied its main terminal.

Chinese officials have vowed to crack down on Hong Kong protesters, warning they will be severely punished for storming the territory’s airport and disrupting operations.

Hong Kong airport says it will restart flights from 6am Tuesday (8am AEST), after it completely shut down operations when thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators occupied its main terminal.

Chinese authorities described the protests as “deranged acts”, likening them to “terrorism”.

“Radical Hong Kong protesters have repeatedly used extremely dangerous tools to attack police officers,” said Yang Guang, a spokesman for the Chinese government’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, in remarks translated by Chinese state media. “The first signs of terrorism are starting to appear.”

He said the protesters’ “violent crimes” must be dealt with “resolutely” and “without mercy”.

“If we allow these types of terrorist activities to continue, then Hong Kong will slide into a bottomless abyss,” China’s liaison office in Hong Kong added Monday.

All flights on Monday that had not completed check-in procedures by afternoon were cancelled, as were arriving flights that had not yet taken off. Mayhem ensued in one of the world’s busiest airports.

More than 5000 protesters streamed into one of the world’s busiest transport hubs and quickly transformed the arrivals hall into a sea of black.

Airport staff advised passengers to leave the airport for their own safety, but traffic outside was at a near standstill, and public transportation was clogged. Some passengers and departing protesters opted to walk.

Instead of being met by smiling relatives and friends, passengers arriving at the airport were greeted by thousands of pro-democracy activists chanting “fight with Hong Kong, fight for freedom!” Most were dressed in the movement’s trademark black clothing, some sporting construction hard hats or gas masks.

“You are angry because your flight is cancelled.”



One stranded Australian tourist got into an argument with protesters at Hong Kong airport, saying they supported independence and that police should crack down harder. It didn’t go well for him. https://t.co/7TryMbHrEW pic.twitter.com/x7dIuNQ5ot — 𝕛𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕤 𝕘𝕣𝕚𝕗𝕗𝕚𝕥𝕙𝕤 🇭🇰🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@jgriffiths) August 12, 2019

After nearly 12 hours in the airport (spent 2 in terminal 2 earlier randomly) I’m going to revert to livestream - lots of people are back and they have supplies. More supposed to return tomorrow at 1. pic.twitter.com/p5RotmribV — Erin Hale (@erinhale) August 12, 2019

[Thread] Thousands have gathered @ HK airport to protest what many see as the horrific & excessive use of force by police yesterday. Cops disguised as protesters made violent arrests; tear gas & rubber bullets fired inside a train station; a beanbag round fired at a woman's eye pic.twitter.com/Iqj2Tgo2pl — Mary Hui (@maryhui) August 12, 2019

And many added a new accessory on Monday: eyepatches or bandages to pay tribute to a woman who suffered a serious face injury at a protest on Sunday night.

The woman, who has not been identified, was reportedly hit by a beanbag round fired by police, and rumours circulated that she lost her vision.

Images of blood pouring from her face as she lay on a pavement quickly went viral and featured in posters calling for demonstrations under the banner: “an eye for an eye”.

“HK police are killing us,” read a sign held by one protester. “Hong Kong is no longer safe,” said another.

And on walls, pillars and barriers in the airport, protesters sprayed painted red graffiti in English and Chinese reading “an eye for an eye”.

“Hong Kong police are out of their minds, exceeding the level of force in their guidelines,” said a 22-year-old protester who gave only his surname, Law.

“Hong Kong people must rise up and not be afraid.” Some protesters said the airport had been chosen as a venue for the demonstration because they believed police would not fire tear gas surrounded by international visitors.

“The police wouldn’t act unreasonably because if people from other countries see how police can come in and hit people, that would be serious,” said Kelvin Liu, a 19-year-old student at the protest.

‘SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE’

Hong Kong has experienced more than two months of mass protests calling for democratic reforms and an independent inquiry into police conduct. The protest movement’s demands also include the resignation of the Chinese territory’s leader and an election for her successor.

Hong Kong, a former British colony, was returned to China in 1997 under the “one country, two systems” principle.

Protesters had already staged a three-day sit-in from Friday at the airport, handing out leaflets about their movement to arriving passengers.

But while several thousand people joined those rallies, the scene on Monday was vastly different, with people so tightly packed that it took 15 minutes to move through the crowd from the upper floor to the ground floor in the arrivals hall.

In the early afternoon, shops in the hall began to shut as the protest swelled, but well-organised volunteers moved through the crowd distributing water and food to the mostly young protesters.

Passengers looked confused as they exited wheeling their luggage, with some moving swiftly past the outstretched hands offering information about the pro-democracy movement.

But others stopped to look at the posters and artwork hung around the hall and talk with the protesters.

“I think they have every right to do what they are doing,” said Rhiannon Coulton, 33, from Australia after she landed at the airport.

“I don’t know if this will do any good for them, we will have to wait and see.”

Ms Coulton arrived in Hong Kong airport on one of the last planes to land on Monday after authorities announced all remaining flights in and out would be cancelled.

As protesters sang and chanted, an occasional muffled announcement could be heard from the loudspeakers above:

“All flights have been cancelled, please leave as soon as possible.”

Flight boards showed row after row of flights with their status reading “cancelled”.

Underneath one protester had attached a sign: “Sorry for the inconvenience … But we’re fighting for survival!”