And this week, protesters have apparently committed to another escalation: they've taken to the streets to disrupt HK's public transportation during Monday and Tuesday, forcing businesses to close and schools to cancel.

Hong Kong policed warned on Tuesday that the city is now "on the brink of total collapse" after a second straight day of violence and chaos. The MTR, Hong Kong's subway network, closed several stations and reduced the frequency of trains to cope with the demonstrations.

Some commuters were forced to walk along rail tracks to the next stop to catch a train to work. A senior police superintendent insisted that the 'rioters' - a term used pejoratively to describe the protesters - were pushing "our society" toward a breakdown.