Hong Kong shopping malls, metro close early ahead of protests

Hong Kong shopping malls started closing early yesterday to avoid becoming targets of planned protests and the city’s metro, which has borne the brunt of violent unrest in recent weeks, will close three hours early.

Hong Kong is one of the world’s top shopping cities but four months of often violent protests have severely dented that reputation, with more than 100 shops closed, scores vandalised and malls now becoming sites for sit-ins by protesters. Protesters are playing cat and mouse with police, organising demonstrations at different locations via social media and stretching security resources.

Apple Inc on Wednesday removed an app protesters have used to track police, prompting some to say they may “visit” Apple stores in Hong Kong