Hong Kong protesters burned subway stations, sabotaged Xinhua shops and offices in the special zone today.

The media immediately condemned the sabotage at the Xinhua office, the official Chinese news agency. The Hong Kong Association of News Executives and the Hong Kong Journalists Association called for a stop to the violent acts and asked the police to strictly punish them.

Violence in the Hong Kong Special Region today has been considered the worst in recent weeks. While peaceful protesters lined paper cranes in Charter Garden, just east of the legislative assembly headquarters, a group of masked protesters threw petrol bombs at police on the streets.

Protesters also burned in front of the Hong Kong branch of HSBC bank, fashion and jewelry shops, street barriers, forcing police to crack down with tear gas and water cannons. Protesters also burned at the entrances to the subway station, dragging two phone booths to the ground.

Protest groups gathered at the large market of Tsim She Tsui, shouting slogans against the government. Hundreds of people gathered outside a church on Nathan Road, calling for a fight for freedom. Police said a group of masked protesters in the area occupied the roadway, threw petrol bombs and even waste on police.

Demonstrators protesting the extradition bill in Hong Kong have entered the 22nd week. The bill allows criminals to be sent to jurisdictions where the Special Zone has not signed an extradition treaty, including mainland China. Although the special zone government announced its withdrawal, the protesters took to the streets in fear of Hong Kong's freedoms being interfered and demanding other claims.

Preliminary figures released by the Hong Kong government this week show that the special zone first fell into a record recession since the 2008 global financial crisis.