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Hong Kong Police Fire Tear Gas as Protesters Return in Force Hong Kong Police Fire Tear Gas as Protesters Return in Force
(6 months later)
HONG KONG — After a relative lull in the protests, thousands of pro-democracy activists turned out Sunday for three demonstrations a week after scoring a major victory in elections that were viewed as a broad endorsement of the movement’s goals.HONG KONG — After a relative lull in the protests, thousands of pro-democracy activists turned out Sunday for three demonstrations a week after scoring a major victory in elections that were viewed as a broad endorsement of the movement’s goals.
The vote last Sunday saw pro-democracy candidates win 87 percent of the seats in local district council races. The councils have little political power, but the vote — a rare form of popular elections in the semiautonomous city — was portrayed as reflecting widespread discontent with the government and backing for the protesters’ aims.The vote last Sunday saw pro-democracy candidates win 87 percent of the seats in local district council races. The councils have little political power, but the vote — a rare form of popular elections in the semiautonomous city — was portrayed as reflecting widespread discontent with the government and backing for the protesters’ aims.
The demonstrations on Sunday were all granted “letters of no objection,” unlike the many recent protests that had been banned by the police. Activists have denounced such bans as unnecessary restrictions on freedom of assembly. While the first two protests were peaceful, a later one saw several tense confrontations between demonstrators and the police.The demonstrations on Sunday were all granted “letters of no objection,” unlike the many recent protests that had been banned by the police. Activists have denounced such bans as unnecessary restrictions on freedom of assembly. While the first two protests were peaceful, a later one saw several tense confrontations between demonstrators and the police.
The Hong Kong protests began in June over legislation, since scrapped, that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China. The movement soon expanded to include a broad range of demands for police accountability and greater democracy.The Hong Kong protests began in June over legislation, since scrapped, that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China. The movement soon expanded to include a broad range of demands for police accountability and greater democracy.
On Sunday, thousands of protesters, many dressed in black and wearing face masks, descended on the harborfront district of Tsim Sha Tsui, chanting slogans such as “Five demands, not one less!” and “Hong Kongers, take revenge!”On Sunday, thousands of protesters, many dressed in black and wearing face masks, descended on the harborfront district of Tsim Sha Tsui, chanting slogans such as “Five demands, not one less!” and “Hong Kongers, take revenge!”
Updated May 27, 2020
In the summer of 2019, Hong Kong protesters began fighting a rule that would allow extraditions to China. These protests eventually broadened to protect Hong Kong’s autonomy from China. The protests wound down when pro-democracy candidates notched a stunning victory in Hong Kong elections in November, in what was seen as a pointed rebuke of Beijing and its allies in Hong Kong.
Late in 2019, the protests then quieted.
Those peaceful mass rallies that occurred in June of 2019 were pointed against the territory leadership of Hong Kong. Later, they devolved into often-violent clashes between some protesters and police officers and lasted through November 2019. The current protests are aimed at mainland China.
This latest round of demonstrations in Hong Kong has been fueled largely by China’s ruling Communist Party move this month to impose new national security legislation for Hong Kong.
To China, the rules are necessary to protect the country’s national sovereignty. To critics, they further erode the relative autonomy granted to the territory after Britain handed it back to China in 1997.
The rules would take direct aim at the anti-government protests and other dissent in Hong Kong. They are expected to prevent and punish secession, subversion as well as foreign infiltration — all of which Beijing has blamed for fueling unrest in the city.
The legislation would also allow the mainland’s feared security agencies to set up their operations publicly in Hong Kong for the first time, instead of operating on a limited scale in secrecy.
In trying to pass this legislation, Beijing is bypassing the Hong Kong government, and the legislation is being pushed by China’s rubber-stamp legislature, the National People’s Congress.
After the Beijing-backed establishment camp was dealt a blow in last Sunday’s elections, Hong Kong’s leader, Carrie Lam, finally said the government was considering setting up a committee to look into the crisis. The move stopped short of addressing the protesters’ main demand of setting up an independent commission to examine how the police have handled the protests.After the Beijing-backed establishment camp was dealt a blow in last Sunday’s elections, Hong Kong’s leader, Carrie Lam, finally said the government was considering setting up a committee to look into the crisis. The move stopped short of addressing the protesters’ main demand of setting up an independent commission to examine how the police have handled the protests.
“Never forget why you started,” read a large, black-and-white banner at the march. Not long after it started, the police fired pepper spray and later tear gas at some of the protesters after warning them they had veered from the approved route.“Never forget why you started,” read a large, black-and-white banner at the march. Not long after it started, the police fired pepper spray and later tear gas at some of the protesters after warning them they had veered from the approved route.
The clashes continued into the evening, with officers firing rubber bullets and more tear gas, while protesters vandalized shops perceived to be friendly to Beijing.The clashes continued into the evening, with officers firing rubber bullets and more tear gas, while protesters vandalized shops perceived to be friendly to Beijing.
There was at least one injury on Sunday, when a man who had been clearing roadblocks set up by protesters was struck “in the head by a hard object” wielded by another man, the police said in a statement.There was at least one injury on Sunday, when a man who had been clearing roadblocks set up by protesters was struck “in the head by a hard object” wielded by another man, the police said in a statement.
Graphic footage circulating online showed the man being bashed by a long object and collapsing onto a roadblock in Mong Kok as blood trickled down his face, though he appeared to be conscious after being hit.Graphic footage circulating online showed the man being bashed by a long object and collapsing onto a roadblock in Mong Kok as blood trickled down his face, though he appeared to be conscious after being hit.
The barriers set up by pro-democracy demonstrators to block police movements have become flash points between these protesters and supporters of the government, with scuffles often breaking out when people try to dismantle them.The barriers set up by pro-democracy demonstrators to block police movements have become flash points between these protesters and supporters of the government, with scuffles often breaking out when people try to dismantle them.
A Hospital Authority spokeswoman did not provide details of individual cases, but said two men who had been injured in the area were in stable condition. The city has been increasingly on edge in the wake of two deaths over last month: of a 70-year-old man who died after being struck in the head, possibly by a thrown brick; and of a student who died after falling from a building where the police clashed with protesters.A Hospital Authority spokeswoman did not provide details of individual cases, but said two men who had been injured in the area were in stable condition. The city has been increasingly on edge in the wake of two deaths over last month: of a 70-year-old man who died after being struck in the head, possibly by a thrown brick; and of a student who died after falling from a building where the police clashed with protesters.
But on Sunday many protesters were committed to showing a peaceful front to the authorities, and hundreds of parents brought their children to the march on Sunday morning against what many consider the indiscriminate use of tear gas by the police.But on Sunday many protesters were committed to showing a peaceful front to the authorities, and hundreds of parents brought their children to the march on Sunday morning against what many consider the indiscriminate use of tear gas by the police.
The marchers waved yellow balloons — the color of the pro-democracy movement — while young children stuck their drawings and handwritten messages for the police outside the government headquarters.The marchers waved yellow balloons — the color of the pro-democracy movement — while young children stuck their drawings and handwritten messages for the police outside the government headquarters.
“Please don’t fire tear gas anymore, because besides making other people sick, tear gas will also make you sick and hurt animals,” one primary school student wrote on his note.“Please don’t fire tear gas anymore, because besides making other people sick, tear gas will also make you sick and hurt animals,” one primary school student wrote on his note.
Separately, protesters waving American flags marched to the United States Consulate to thank Washington for passing the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which authorizes sanctions on officials responsible for human rights abuses in the city.Separately, protesters waving American flags marched to the United States Consulate to thank Washington for passing the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which authorizes sanctions on officials responsible for human rights abuses in the city.