RIOTERS went on the rampage in Hong Kong again at the weekend, with a crowd beating up a man who was holding a China flag and going on to vandalise shops and other buildings as protests continued for the 17th week.

Masked demonstrators attacked police once more, hurling petrol bombs at officers and smashing the windows of government buildings.

One of the leaders of the movement, US-backed Demosisto Party founder Joshua Wong, appealed to the world to take notice of the Hong Kong protests, seemingly ignoring the wall-to-wall positive coverage in the Western mainstream media.

“Precisely because there’s nowhere for us to turn, the only way is to go forward,” he claimed.

“We need to let the world know about Hong Kong people’s perseverance.”

Mr Wong has consistently lobbied for US support and is backed by the shady National Endowment for Democracy, a US Congress-funded organisation which agitates for regime change across the world.

He has pressed for Congress to approve legislation called the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which would make the Chinese territory’s special privileges, including those related to trade and business, subject to annual review in Washington.

Beijing has branded the proposed legislation an act of foreign intervention, warning the US to stay out of its domestic affairs.

Saturation coverage in the Western press continues to portray the demonstrators as plucky pro-democracy campaigners.

But the protests have seen widespread violence, with attacks on those who disagree with them as well as people from mainland China and journalists.

Businesses deemed pro-Beijing have been singled out for attack and the Chinese flag has been desecrated, with those seen displaying it beaten.

Demonstrations have been marked by the display of the US and British flags and the singing of the national anthems of both countries. Masked protesters in “Make Hong Kong great again” hats have called for US intervention to “liberate” Hong Kong from China.

At the same time, the huge crowds which turned out on Saturday to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Chinese revolution went largely unreported.

Backed by the vast majority of Hong Kong citizens, events dwarfing the anti-China protests took place across the territory, as thousands sang the national anthem celebrating the foundation of the People’s Republic of China.

Organisers of the weekend riots have vowed to disrupt the official celebrations on October 1, threatening: “There will be no National Day but a national calamity day.”