The Hong Kong protests unsurprisingly feature heavily in our top 10 most read stories about the city in 2019, with only an early-morning collision between two MTR trains during a signalling test run and a celebrity scandal attracting similar numbers. An attack on march organiser Jimmy Sham in Mong Kok in October, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor announcing she would withdraw the contentious extradition bill that first sparked the movement, and the pro-democracy camp sweeping to victory in the district council elections make up the top three, while two stories report on the chaos and disruption that strangled Hong Kong’s airport in August. While it may seem like a lifetime ago, we were also hooked on an indiscretion by the husband of Canto-pop superstar Sammi Cheng, when he was caught on camera in the back of a car with another woman. Revisit our 10 most read stories from the Hong Kong news desk in 2019 below. 1. Leader of Hong Kong democracy group attacked on Mong Kok street Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit, convenor of the Civil Human Rights Front, was set upon by at least four non-ethnic Chinese assailants on Arran Street in Mong Kok on October 16. It was the second time Sham was attacked in the space of two months. 2. Carrie Lam announces formal withdrawal of extradition bill Hong Kong’s embattled leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor on September 4 formally withdrew the extradition bill that sparked months of often violent unrest in the city, confirming an earlier exclusive report by the South China Morning Post . 3. Pro-democracy camp sweeps to victory in district council elections While the protest movement had been raging for almost six months, anti-establishment reverberations shook Hong Kong again on November 24 as record numbers turned out to vote and roundly rejected pro-Beijing candidates, allowing the pro-democracy camp to win in 17 of the city’s 18 districts. 4. PLA soldiers help clear roadblocks near Kowloon Tong garrison It was more than five months into the unrest when Chinese soldiers marched from their barracks in Kowloon Tong on November 16 and helped clear roadblocks and debris. One said their actions had nothing to do with the Hong Kong government, adding “stopping violence and ending chaos is our responsibility”. 5. Racy video of Canto-pop star’s husband in car with another woman goes viral A video clip showing Hong Kong superstar Sammi Cheng Sau-man’s singer husband Andy Hui Chi-on getting intimate with another woman in a car in April sparked a wave of privacy concerns about hidden cameras installed by drivers. The clip showed the pair kissing during a ride from Tai Hang in Causeway Bay to Lei Yue Mun. 6. Court injunction orders protesters to leave Hong Kong airport terminal Officials in Hong Kong secured an injunction order against radical protesters occupying the terminal building of the city’s airport on August 13. The move followed scenes of unprecedented violence and chaos as demonstrators clashed with riot police, severely disrupted flights and detained and assaulted a young man they claimed was an undercover agent from mainland China. 7. Hong Kong MTR trains collide during overnight tests of new signalling system Rush-hour commuters started their week with chaos and confusion on Monday, March 18, after two metro trains collided at a crossover section of track during a test-run of a new signalling system. There were no passengers on board and both drivers were taken to hospital. 8. Hong Kong student dies after suffering severe brain injury in car park fall Chow Tsz-lok, a second year computer science undergraduate at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, died on November 8, days after suffering a severe brain injury when he fell one storey in a car park in Tseung Kwan O. Police had been carrying out a dispersal operation nearby with rounds of tear gas. 9. At least 45 people injured during mob rampage in Yuen Long MTR station A late-night violent attack at an MTR station in a rural part of Hong Kong on July 21 became a key talking point of the protest movement, then only in its second month. Police were accused of being slow to respond as dozens of men stormed into Yuen Long station, beating protesters returning from an earlier rally in a downtown area, with innocent passengers said to be caught up in the affray. 10. Flights out of Hong Kong airport cancelled as protesters occupy terminal building All flights out of Hong Kong were cancelled on August 12 as thousands of anti-government protesters occupied the airport terminal building. Roads leading to the airport were jammed with traffic with many travellers forced to continue their journey on foot because of the gridlock.