Hong Kong protests: Carrie Lam says priority is to stop violence

City's leader rules out political concessions as demonstrations continue with sit-in at airport

The Hong Kong leader, Carrie Lam, has said her priority is to "stop the violence" rather than make political concessions, as the city's two- month-long protest movement pressed on with a demonstration at the airport.

Lam said traffic disruptions and confrontations between police and protesters had hurt the economy, particularly the retail and food and beverage sectors. The demonstrations, however, are not abating and more are planned for this weekend, including at the airport, where protesters holding signs staged a sit-in at the arrival and departure halls on Friday.