This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/24/hong-kong-fresh-rallies-as-protesters-target-airport-transport

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Hong Kong riot police beat protesters at anti-surveillance rally Hong Kong riot police beat protesters at anti-surveillance rally
(about 8 hours later)
Riot police have thrown teargas at thousands of protesters and beat many of them after a tense stand-off in Hong Kong. Hong Kong riot police have fired rounds of teargas, rubber bullets, pepper balls and sponge rounds, and beaten people, as protesters led them on a game of cat-and-mouse across the city. The actions took place after a peaceful afternoon march into a confrontation and split into several impromptu marches in different locations.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators were holding an anti-government rally on Saturday, marking the city’s 12th week of protests. Tens of thousands of demonstrators took part in an anti-government rally in the Kwun Tong district in Kowloon on Saturday, marking the city’s 12th week of protests. The peaceful march, sanctioned by police, turned into a tense standoff between riot police and protesters by mid-afternoon after demonstrators built barricades with bamboo rods and plastic traffic barriers outside a police station.
As protesters reached a police station in mid-afternoon, several of them built barricades with bamboo rods and plastic traffic barriers and faced off with riot police for a couple of hours. At about 4.40pm local time, baton-wielding riot police charged at thousands of protesters, beating them as they fled. Protesters threw bamboo rods and other objects back at the police.
At about 4.40pm, hundreds of officers charged at the protesters, throwing teargas and beating them as they fled. At one point, objects on the ground were on fire as police chased protesters along the streets and into nearby buildings. At one point, objects on the ground were on fire as police chased demonstrators along the streets and into nearby buildings.
“Protesters are simply not able to defend themselves. Police are abusing their powers,” said a man watching the scene.“Protesters are simply not able to defend themselves. Police are abusing their powers,” said a man watching the scene.
It was difficult for protesters to leave because the nearest metro station had closed, along with several others on the line. The street was empty after the clearing operation which lasted about 15 minutes. But protesters retreated to other locations and by early evening, amid more confrontations on a side street and at a nearby residential complex, protesters threw rocks and placed soap and oil on the ground. Police fired several more rounds of teargas and rubber bullets, pepper balls and sponge rounds in return.
The clearing operation lasted around 15 minutes, after which the street was left eerily empty. A message spray painted on the road said: “Hopes are in the people, transformation begins in struggles.” After police cleared the streets in Kwun Tong around 8pm, protesters moved to another district, Wong Tai Sin, and occupied the main road. They shone laser pointers at a police residential quarters in the area and police fired more rounds of teargas. Police officers charged at the crowds occupying the main road, bringing traffic to a standstill, and subdued several protesters.
Saturday’s rally – in Kowloon’s Kwun Tong district – was sanctioned by the police but many demonstrators still covered their faces with medical masks and many wore balaclava-style scarves and dark glasses covered with tin foil. By late night, some protesters moved to another area, Sham Shui Po. They set up makeshift barricades with rubbish bins and other objects on a street near the local police station and shone laser pointers into the station. Riot police descended into the area and charged at protesters and removed the road blocks. As of 11pm, protesters and riot police were still locked in a standoff.
The key theme of the march was to oppose the government’s installation of smart lamp posts equipped with sensors, closed-circuit cameras and data networks. The government said the lamp posts would only collect air quality, traffic and weather data, although many at the protests said they had covered up out of privacy concerns. Many demonstrators covered their faces with medical masks and wore balaclava-style scarves and dark glasses covered with tinfoil.
Some handed out medical masks while others handed out tin foil to cover phones, credit cards with smart pay functions and smart identity cards that Hongkongers are mandated to carry. The key theme of the sanctioned march earlier in the afternoon was to oppose the government’s installation of smart lamp posts equipped with sensors, closed-circuit cameras and data networks. The government said the lamp posts would only collect air quality, traffic and weather data, although many at the protests said they had covered themselves because of privacy concerns.
“We feel unsafe, that’s why we have to speak up,” said Harry Yip, a school leaver, who said he wore a hat, reflective dark glasses and a black scarf over his face to avoid government surveillance. Some handed out medical masks while others gave out tinfoil to cover phones, credit cards with smart pay functions and smart identity cards that Hongkongers are mandated to carry.
“Oppose surveillance, save Hong Kong!”, shouted some, while others cried: “Free Hong Kong!”, “Reclaim Hong Kong, revolution of our era!” “We feel unsafe, that’s why we have to speak up,” said Harry Yip, who said he was wearing a hat, reflective dark glasses and a black scarf over his face to avoid government surveillance.
People also called on fellow protesters to open their umbrellas to shield their faces from surveillance cameras. The fear of surveillance comes amid reports that many Hong Kong residents have been interrogated upon entering mainland China, being taken into rooms to have their messages and photos on their phones and computers checked. A member of the British consulate in Hong Kong, Simon Cheng, was released on Saturday after being detained in China for 15 days while there on business.
“Even though this is a police-approved march, you just never know what the police might do later,” said Chris Lam, in full protective gear. More broadly, the city’s demonstrations are aimed at pressurising the Hong Kong government into responding to protesters’ political demands, including the complete withdrawal of the now suspended extradition bill – under which individuals can be sent to China for trial – the setting up of an independent body to investigate police violence, and the free election of Hong Kong’s leaders and legislature.
The fear of surveillance comes amid reports that many Hong Kong residents have been interrogated upon entering mainland China, taken into rooms to have their messages and photos on their phones and computers checked. A member of the British consulate in Hong Kong, Simon Cheng, was released on Saturday after being detained in China for 15 days while there on business.
UK consulate worker detained in China is freed in Hong Kong, says family
More broadly, the city’s demonstrations are aimed at pressuring the Hong Kong government into responding to protesters’ political demands, including the complete withdrawal of the now suspended extradition bill – under which individuals can be sent to China for trial – the setting up of an independent body to investigate police violence, and the free election of Hong Kong’s leaders and legislature.
On Friday night, a human chain stretched for kilometres across both sides of Hong Kong harbour as people turned out for a peaceful demonstration inspired by anti-Soviet protesters in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in 1989 that became known as the Baltic Way.
Hong Kong’s metro company MTR on Saturday made the unprecedented decision to stop operating trains along a large stretch of a line from 12pm in an apparent move to stop protesters from reaching the protest in Kwun Tong.
What do the Hong Kong protesters want?What do the Hong Kong protesters want?
The move comes after state media accused the metro company of helping protesters avoid the police by putting on extra train services at Yuen Long on Wednesday night, after a clash between protesters and police. Many protesters resented a decision by Hong Kong’s metro company, MTR, on Saturday to stop operating trains along a large stretch of a line from 12pm in an apparent move to stop protesters from reaching the protest in Kwun Tong.
The MTR Corporation has previously stopped services to stations in areas where violence has broken out, but local media noted that it had not stopped trains running before a protest before. Resentment against the government and police has reached a dangerous level among the population after numerous violent confrontations between the police and protesters erupted during 11 weeks of protests in Hong Kong, a regional financial hub once known as one of the world’s safest cities, in the past two-and-a-half months.
Numerous violent confrontations between the police and protesters have erupted during weeks of protests in Hong Kong, a regional financial hub once known as one of the world’s safest cities, in the past two and a half months. A Hong Kong government statement issued close to midnight on Saturday “strongly condemns” protesters for paralysing traffic, hurling suspected petrol bombs and bricks at police, setting fires and vandalising public property, including smart lamp posts. It said the government would hold them liable for illegal acts.
Resentment against the government and police have reached a dangerous level among the Hong Kong population. Although largely peaceful, hardcore protesters have thrown rocks, bricks and slingshots at the police, who have used tear gas, rubber bullets, bean bag rounds and severe beatings to disperse the crowds.
Hong KongHong Kong
ChinaChina
Asia PacificAsia Pacific
ProtestProtest
newsnews
Share on FacebookShare on Facebook
Share on TwitterShare on Twitter
Share via EmailShare via Email
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn
Share on PinterestShare on Pinterest
Share on WhatsAppShare on WhatsApp
Share on MessengerShare on Messenger
Reuse this contentReuse this content