Shops close early and residents stay put as anti-government protesters march through Hong Kong shopping district Mong Kok
- Most street-level shops between Yau Ma Tei and Tsim Sha Tsui along Nathan Road shut by late afternoon, while Ladies’ Street hawkers pack away stalls
- Police issue notice for shopkeepers and local residents, warning of possible disturbances caused by rally
Many shops in Mong Kok and Tsim Sha Tsui closed early on Saturday, while residents were urged to stay indoors as protesters converged on their neighbourhood.
Early in the afternoon, big malls in the area also began closing. Langham Place Shopping Mall was shuttered and further along Nathan Road – the main artery of Kowloon’s shopping district – Wing On Department Store in Yau Ma Tei was also closed. Sometime later, Lane Shoppers Boulevard in Tsim Sha Tsui followed suit.
By late afternoon, more than half of the street-level shops along Nathan Road, from Yau Ma Tei to Tsim Sha Tsui, had closed.
At Tai Kok Tsui in Mong Kok, near the rally site, the owner of a construction materials shop who wanted to be known only as Chan, closed his shop at about 4pm.
“I am worried about my employees’ safety,” he said.
Another shopkeeper, surnamed Law, also said police had issued a notice to shopkeepers in the area, advising them to close on Saturday.
