Many saw Hong Kong as bearing the semblance of typhoon devastation on Saturday, as emporiums, convenience stores, shops and bank outlets were closed and metro services were suspended, after a night of "unprecedented violence" on Friday.
After the HKSAR government announced an anti-mask law, rioters escalated violence on Friday night, trashing metro stations, looting shops and assaulting the police and passersby in the last few hours before the ban went into effect on Saturday.
In particular, many banks and stores with the mainland background or considered patriotic were targeted by the rioters as the unrest raged into its fourth month to wreak havoc on Hong Kong's economy.
The Mass Transit Railway (MTR), a key public transport provider in Hong Kong, announced the suspension of service of the whole network on Saturday morning. As of 4:00 p.m. local time, only its Airport Express partially resumed service while other lines remained closed.
The MTR stations were a main victim of vandalism on Friday night, as rioters set fire on facilities of many MTR stations and attacked staff. A train in Sha Tin station was caught on fire.
Several retail chains closed early on Saturday, including 7-Eleven, the chain of convenience stores that otherwise operate 24 hours, and personal care product chain Mannings, citing traffic and safety reasons.
Safety concerns also prompted the Hong Kong Jockey Club to close all off-course betting branches on Saturday. Its popular lottery game Mark Six draw originally scheduled for Saturday evening was also postponed.
Some bank branches suspended services due to vandalized facilities and traffic disruptions, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority said on Saturday, adding that recent incidents of vandalism and arson attacks have seriously affected the use of banking services by the public.
The Standard Chartered said all branches in Hong Kong except one on Des Voeux Road in Central district would be closed on Saturday. The Bank of East Asia also said only its main branch in Hong Kong was in operation on Saturday.
The HKSAR government also announced the early closure of some methadone clinics and cultural and leisure facilities due to anticipation of mass gatherings and safety concerns.
In the busy shopping district of Causeway Bay, most shopping malls including the Times Square, SOGO and Lee Theatre were closed. The usually crammed streets were scarcely populated.
HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam said Saturday that the society was half-paralyzed after Hong Kong witnessed "a very dark night" and "unprecedented violence" on Friday, adding that the government will take the greatest resolve to end violence.
The prolonged unrest has also dealt a heavy below to Hong Kong's retail sector. Hong Kong's total retail sales plunged by 23 percent in August from a year earlier, according to the HKSAR government.
