Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has warned anti-government protesters not to push the city into an "abyss", in an emotional press conference on Tuesday.
Ms Lam said Hong Kong had "reached [a] dangerous situation" and that violence during protests would push it "down a path of no return".
She was met with hostility as she dodged questions by reporters, who repeatedly shouted and cut her off.
Meanwhile protests are continuing for a fifth day at the city's busy airport.
Mass unrest has rocked Hong Kong for 10 weeks and shows no signs of abating.
Large protests started in response to a proposed extradition bill, which has now been suspended, but have evolved into a more demanding pro-democracy movement.
Protests are fuelled by fear that the freedoms Hong Kong enjoys as a special administrative region of China are being eroded.
BBC
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