Australia issues travel warning to Hong Kong as 'unpredictable' protests enter into their ninth week

Australia on Wednesday local time issued a travel warning for Hong Kong, saying that protests had become "unpredictable" and posed a threat to tourists.

"We have raised our advice level for Hong Kong: we now recommend you 'exercise a high degree of caution,'" the government said on its Smart Traveller website. "Protests have become more unpredictable and are expected to continue."

The site urged tourists to avoid large public gatherings and warned of violent confrontation between protesters, police, and criminally-linked individuals.

What initially started as a protest of against a proposed bill that would allow for the extradition of Hong Kong residents to mainland China for trial has ballooned into a fight to uphold democracy in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory that has raged on for over two months.

The warning comes amid large-scale protests that rocked Hong Kong throughout the weekend, several of which turned violent. Organized peaceful protests soon gave way to clashes between offshoot protest groups and police, resulting in damages to police stations and the arrests of at least 44 individuals on Sunday.

On Monday, a massive citywide strike organized by the pro-democracy movement brought Hong Kong to a standstill, with businesses shuttered, roads empty, and over 100 flight cancellations at the city's airport.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam held a press conference on Monday evening where she remained resolute in the face of calls for her to step down.

"I don't think at this point in time, resignation of myself or some of my colleagues would provide a better solution," she told media.