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Hong Kong: hundreds of thousands join protest in pouring rain Hong Kong: 1.7m people defy police to march in pouring rain
(about 2 hours later)
Hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong people flocked to a downtown park for a fresh rally after two months of increasingly violent clashes that have prompted severe warnings from Beijing and failed to win concessions from the city’s government. An estimated 1.7 million people in Hong Kong – a quarter of the population – defied police orders to stage a peaceful march after a rally in a downtown park, after two months of increasingly violent clashes that have prompted severe warnings from Beijing and failed to win concessions from the city’s government.
Police turned down a plan for Sunday’s march – from Victoria Park to the central business district – submitted by the Civil Human Rights Front group, which has organised past demonstrations that drew millions. Police did, however, give permission for a rally at the park instead. Huge crowds filled Victoria Park on Sunday afternoon and spilled onto nearby streets, forcing police to block traffic in the area. Torrential rain came down an hour into the rally, turning the park into a sea of umbrellas. At the same time protesters began walking towards Central, the heart of Hong Kong’s business district.
Huge crowds filled the park on Sunday afternoon and spilled on to nearby streets, forcing police to block traffic in the area. Torrential rain came down an hour into the rally, turning the park into a sea of colourful umbrellas. Many began walking on the streets despite the police ban on a march as the park got overcrowded. They risk being charged with unlawful assembly, which can lead to a maximum of five years in prison. Police had turned down a plan for Sunday’s march submitted by the Civil Human Rights Front group and only gave permission for a rally at the park. Those defying the ban risked being charged with unlawful assembly, which can lead to up to five years in prison.
“Stand with Hong Kong! Fight for freedom!” protesters shouted at the rally.“Stand with Hong Kong! Fight for freedom!” protesters shouted at the rally.
Streets around Victoria park were so densely packed that the march came to a complete standstill in a lot of places. Some protesters even walked on to a flyover near the park. Protesters were orderly but burst into choruses of slogans as they waited to move forward. “Hong Kong people, go!”, “Reclaim Hong Kong, revolution of our era!” they chanted. Throughout the afternoon, streets around Victoria Park were so densely packed that the march frequently came to a complete standstill. Some protesters even walked on to a flyover near the park as the crowds on the streets were unable to move.
The crowd was a cross section of young protesters, families and elderly residents. Parents walked with small children, shielding them from the crowd. Protesters were orderly but burst into choruses of slogans as they waited to move forward. “Hong Kong people, go!”, “Reclaim Hong Kong, revolution of our era!” they chanted.
By early evening hundreds of protesters occupied a six lane road outside of the government, shining lasers and yelling insults at the police. As protesters marched past the police headquarters they chanted “Triads!” and “Return the eye!” referring to a recent incident in which a young woman lost an eye during the protests. Organisers of the rally, who estimated that 1.7 million people turned up at the park and in the nearby Causeway Bay and Tin Hau areas, said many more were not able to get there. Train services to the metro stations near the park were suspended intermittently throughout the day due to the huge numbers of people.
Organisers insist that the Hong Kong government must stop using police force to suppress them and respond to their five political demands, including the complete withdrawal of the now suspended extradition bill which can see individuals sent to China for trials, the setting up of an independent body to investigate police violence and allowing universal suffrage. The crowd was a cross section of young protesters, families and elderly residents. Parents walked with small children.
Hong Kong: three rallies mark 11th weekend of protests By early evening, hundreds of protesters occupied a six-lane road outside of the government in Admiralty, shining lasers at the building and the nearby People’s Liberation Army garrison and yelling insults at the police.
“We are here to express our anger against police violence. Hong Kong is deeply outraged by the police,” said an organiser on stage. A statement from the force late on Sunday condemned the protesters and accused them of paralysing traffic in the area.
“China is taking over Hong Kong. Our society has no justice and no future. We’re just making a last ditch attempt to do something amid our despondency,” said Carol Lui, a teacher in her 30s. “Hong Kong is dying anyway so we are just fighting to our last breath.” As protesters marched past the police headquarters they chanted “Return the eye!” referring to a recent incident in which a young woman’s eye was badly injured during the protests. Both the government and police headquarters were surrounded by giant water-filled barricades.
The Civil Human Rights Front, which has organised past protests that drew millions, called for a “peaceful, rational and non-violent” rally and online posts also urged “self discipline and calmness” after 10 weeks of intensive protests, many of which ended in violent clashes as police increasingly employed tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds. By early evening, a number of protesters ignored organisers’ advice to leave after reaching Central and continued to march west towards the Chinese government’s liaison office, where previous protests have ended in violent clashes. Dozens of riot police officers armed with shields and guns were seen patrolling the area but the crowds dispersed peacefully.
“We hope that there will not be any chaotic situations today,” said organiser Bonnie Leung. “We hope we can show the world that Hong Kong people can be totally peaceful.” Organisers insist that the Hong Kong government must stop using the police force to suppress them and respond to their five political demands, including the complete withdrawal of the now suspended extradition bill – which can see individuals sent to China for trials – the setting up of an independent body to investigate police violence and allowing universal suffrage (the free election of Hong Kong’s leaders).
On Saturday, a spokesman for China’s ceremonial legislature condemned US lawmakers voicing support for the pro-democracy movement and claimed Hong Kong’s 7.5 million people and Chinese population as a whole rejected the actions of a “very small group of violent protesters”.
You Wenze called comments by US lawmakers including House speaker Nancy Pelosi “a gross violation of the spirit of the rule of law, a blatant double standard and a gross interference in China’s internal affairs”.
Hong Kong, a regional financial hub once known as one of the world’s safest cities, has seen numerous violent confrontations between police and hardcore protesters who have thrown rocks, bricks and Molotov cocktails and used slingshots and laser pointers to provoke police or inflict revenge.
Ahead of Sunday’s rally, a post on lihkg.com, a forum popular with protesters, said: “Hongkongers can change our tactics in the ‘be water’ style instead of being ruled by anger and hatred.”
Although the post called for protesters to shun protective gear and refrain from occupying roads and throwing objects – something many have increasingly resorted to – many online responses also dismissed the call for peace, insisting the movement would be ineffective if it stayed peaceful.
'An eye for an eye': Hong Kong protests get figurehead in woman injured by police'An eye for an eye': Hong Kong protests get figurehead in woman injured by police
Hong Kong had its first tear gas-free Saturday for weeks after three separate rallies took place in Kowloon. The marches this Saturday and Sunday marked the 11th weekend of protests in Hong Kong as residents continue to press the government to formally withdraw the controversial extradition bill. A late night government statement said although the protests were peaceful, they caused inconvenience to the community. The statement said it was “most important” to restore social order and “the government will begin sincere dialogue with the public, mend social rifts and rebuild social harmony when everything has calmed down”.
Despite the call for peace, a number of protesters on Sunday still covered their faces with masks and scarves, fearing they would face prosecution “I still worry police might use tear gas and beat up people today,” said Alan Chan, who has young children. “The Chinese government is hardening its stance and threatening us with the People’s Liberation Army.” The Civil Human Rights Front had earlier called for a “peaceful, rational and non-violent” rally and online posts also urged “self discipline and calmness” after 10 weeks of intensive protests, many of which ended in violent clashes as police increasingly employed teargas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds.
Tensions have reached a new level during the past week. Following last weekend’s violent clashes with police, protesters swarmed Hong Kong’s airport. Over the past week, state media outlets have published videos showing armoured troop carriers purportedly driving to Shenzhen, the south-eastern state that borders Hong Kong. Chinese officials have also released a series of threatening statements about Hong Kong’s protesters, with one claiming “terrorism” was emerging in the city after flights were cancelled. “China is taking over Hong Kong. Our society has no justice and no future. We’re just making a last-ditch attempt to do something amid our despondency,” said Carol Lui, a teacher in her 30s. “Hong Kong is dying anyway so we are just fighting to our last breath.”
A front-page editorial in the Communist party mouthpiece People’s Daily on Saturday said protests in Hong Kong had been hijacked and incited by “internal and external anti-China forces” and questioned how Hong Kong’s economy could withstand such “suicidal attacks”. Hong Kong had its first teargas-free Saturday for weeks after three separate rallies took place in Kowloon. The marches this Saturday and Sunday marked the 11th weekend of protests in Hong Kong as residents continue to press the government to formally withdraw the controversial extradition bill.
Associated Press contributed to this article Tensions have reached a new level during the past week. Following last weekend’s violent clashes with police, protesters occupied Hong Kong’s airport. Over the past week, state media outlets have published videos showing armoured Chinese troop carriers purportedly driving to Shenzhen, the south-eastern state that borders Hong Kong. Chinese officials have also released a series of threatening statements about Hong Kong’s protesters, with one claiming “terrorism” was emerging in the city after flights were cancelled.
Hong Kong: three rallies mark 11th weekend of protests
Despite the call for peace on Sunday, some protesters have warned the protests could turn violent again should the government continue to ignore their demands.
“Violent escalation is an extreme measure … but if it is effective we would continue, because we need to try all means to attract attention to our cause,” said a 25-year-old engineer who gave his surname as Fan, who carried full protective gear on Sunday.
Lily Kuo and Janice Hui contributed to this article
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