Australia issues Hong Kong travel alert warning citizens of violence

Australians travelling to Hong Kong have been warned to exercise a “high degree of caution” as their home country became the latest to issue a travel warning for the city since July.

“There is a risk of violent confrontation between protesters and police, or criminally linked individuals, particularly at unauthorised protests,” said Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in statement. Ireland, Japan, Britain and Singapore have all also issued similar travel warnings.

On Tuesday night, Hong Kong police clashed with about 100 protesters and residents in the working-class district of Sham Shui Po after a student union leader was detained for carrying laser pointers.

Keith Fong was held on the charge of possessing offensives weapons – namely 10 laser pens – but Hong Kong Baptist University’s Student Union accused the police of fabricating the charge in order to arrest people arbitrarily and called for his immediate release.

On Wednesday a message was circulating on the messaging app Telegram saying Fong’s arrest “precisely shows the power of the extradition bill … they can arrest you on a whim.”