Emotions run high as Hong Kong residents snap up final edition of Apple Daily

The shutdown deals the most serious blow yet to Hong Kong's media freedoms and could potentially destroy its reputation as an open and free media hub after Beijing imposed the security law on the global financial centre last year.

Hong Kong residents rushed in the early hours of Thursday to snap up copies of the final edition of pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, which was forced to end its 26-year run after it became embroiled in a national security crackdown.