Hong Kong students boycott first day of classes

Hong Kong students boycotted classes in a pro-democracy protest on Monday, the first day of the new school year, The Guardian reports. High school students gathered outside their schools, kneeling, holding hands, and chanting, "Free Hong Kong! Democracy Now!"

Organizers estimated 9,000 or more students from more than 200 schools were participating. Pro-democracy demonstrators also followed up a tense weekend of protests by disrupting transportation during rush hour, blocking train doors from closing in the city's mass transit railway stations.

Several editorials in Chinese state media condemned the protests against Hong Kong's Beijing-backed government. An editorial on the state-run Xinhua news agency's site said "the end is coming for those attempting to disrupt Hong Kong."

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