Police in Hong Kong were forced to leave the airport on Tuesday after protestors overpowered them by shining laser lights in their direction.
Police had appealed for access to the airport to assist an injured person but could not get through to the crowd.
The police's spokesperson had asked for protestors to refrain from pointing lasers at them as it was causing heat and pain.
In retaliation, protestors threw water bottles at police and continued to shine laser lights on them.
The airport has been the site of the protest since August 9 and over 700 protestors have been arrested since early June.
All check-ins have been closed for two days already and hundreds of flights cancelled.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam appeared before the press and faced a media onslaught.
No sooner were her prepared remarks finished than the full-frontal assault - in both Cantonese and English - began.
"You blame your own political misjudgement on others, and refuse to acknowledge your mistakes," one journalist said.
"When will you accept political responsibility to end citizens' fear?... When will you be willing to step down? When will you tell the police to stop?," the reporter from Hong Kong's public broadcaster RTHK asked.
Before Lam could respond, the reporter added an admonition: "You asked me in the past to take my job seriously, so please answer me seriously as well."
The embattled Beijing-backed leader began to reply but more questions were shouted.
"Citizens are afraid of you and the police, can you answer the question?"