Hong Kong was in lockdown on Tuesday, with barricades in the city centre, shuttered stores and a heavy riot police presence, as authorities scrambled to ensure anti-government protests do not overshadow China's anniversary festivities in Beijing.
The former British colony has been wracked by nearly four months of street clashes and demonstrations, posing the gravest popular challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power.
Protesters have vowed to seize on the holiday, marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, to propel their calls for greater democracy onto the international stage, hijacking an occasion Beijing sees as an opportunity to showcase China's economic and military progress.
