Filipinos advised to monitor consulate advisories and avoid unverified social media reports

Music fans attend the annual Clockenflap music festival in Hong Kong last year. (AFP)

Clockenflap, Hong Kong’s biggest music festival, has been canceled, organizers said on Friday, the highest-profile event so far to fall victim to the increasingly violent political unrest engulfing the city.

British folk-rock sensations Mumford & Sons and American star Halsey were among the headliners for the festival this year, which was scheduled for 22 to 24 November.

“Due to the escalation of the crisis this week, and therefore the uncertainty this creates for the coming weeks, Clockenflap 2019 will be canceled,” the organizers said in a statement.

“Until this week we were fully committed to delivering the festival. Unfortunately, the situation has now made this impossible.”

Pro-democracy protests have escalated in the past week with widespread travel chaos wrought by roadblocks and targeted vandalism of metro stations and lines.

The Department of Foreign Affairs, meanwhile, belied reports circulating on social media that it is no longer safe for Filipinos to stay in Hong Kong.

“(Filipinos) are largely unaffected by the ongoing protests in the area. Hence, the DFA sees no need to evacuate them at this time. The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong is closely monitoring the situation and is taking every step to ensure the continued safety and well-being of our nationals there,” a DFA statement read.

The DFA further instructed Filipinos to follow the developments being posted by the Consulate’s website, instead of turning to questionable sources of information.

Clockenflap is an annual festival that takes place in front of Hong Kong’s iconic harbor and attracts tens of thousands of fans.

It is the latest in a growing list of banned, canceled or postponed events in Hong Kong’s normally packed social calendar.

Hong Kong’s annual pride parade due on Saturday was downgraded to a stationary rally after police banned the traditionally boisterous and colorful march.

The WTA Hong Kong Open, Oxfam’s annual trail run fundraiser, as well as concerts by acclaimed K-Pop acts and comedians have been pulled out as the city reels from the protests.