Hong Kong’s No. 2 official promised “more decisive measures” to halt protest violence, as the financial center faced another weekend of unrest after five straight days of road blocks, vandalism and spontaneous marches.

Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung outlined the plans hours after city officials confirmed that Hong Kong was heading toward its first annual recession in a decade. Earlier, Chinese President Xi Jinping had said that bringing the violence to an end is Hong Kong’s “most urgent task,” while a scuffle involving the city’s justice secretary and the second protest-related death in a week heightened tensions.

The protests, which have raged for more than five months, flared anew last week after the death of a student who fell near a police operation to clear a demonstration. A campaign to disrupt traffic has led to the shooting of a protester and citywide school cancellations, while Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s government has denied reports of a plan to institute an unprecedented curfew in a bid to quell unrest.

Key developments:

  • City’s No. 2 promises measures to halt violence
  • Clockenflap music festival canceled
  • Protesters return to city’s streets
  • Hong Kong justice minister hurt in London
  • Xi urges immediate end to disorder
  • Government worker dies; 15-year-old still in hospital
  • Some trains services remain suspended