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/2020/may/24/hong-kong-protests-unauthorised-rally-police-china-laws

The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
Hong Kong protests: police fire teargas as thousands rally against Beijing's national security law Hong Kong protests: police fire teargas as thousands rally against Beijing's national security law
(32 minutes later)
Armoured vehicles and water cannon deployed earlier to tackle protests amid China plans to force through security lawsArmoured vehicles and water cannon deployed earlier to tackle protests amid China plans to force through security laws
Hong Kong police have fired teargas at crowds after thousands of people took to the streets in protest against Beijing’s extraordinary declaration it would impose national security laws on the semi-autonomous region. Hong Kong police have used tear gas, pepper spray and water cannon on crowds after thousands took to the streets in protest against Beijing’s declaration that it intends to impose national security laws on the semi-autonomous region.
The rally and march in the central business and shopping districts are unauthorised, and a brutal police response was widely feared. At least 120 people were arrested, according to police, mostly for illegal assembly.
Riot police, armoured vehicles and water cannon were deployed across the city including at Beijing’s Liaison Office ahead of the event, and police had warned people not to march, promising to take “resolute law enforcement action as appropriate”. Social media listed numerous police roadblocks, and showed cars being searched. The rally and march in the downtown business and shopping districts had not been authorised. In contrast to marches and rallies last year, demonstrators had been visibly tense in anticipation of a harsh police crackdown.
The situation quickly escalated on Sunday afternoon after people descended on Causeway Bay in one of the biggest gatherings since the pandemic began, in defiance of social distancing laws. Police, many in full riot kit, soon raised their blue flag warning people to disperse from the unlawful gathering or they would use force. Riot police, armoured vehicles and water cannon were deployed across Hong Kong island including at Beijing’s Liaison Office ahead of the event, and police had warned people not to march, promising to take “resolute law enforcement action as appropriate”. Social media reported numerous police roadblocks, and cars being searched.
Large crowds had begun peacefully marching up Hennessy Road, when police fired multiple rounds of teargas – within 30 minutes of the protest’s official start time. The situation quickly escalated on Sunday afternoon after protesters descended on Causeway Bay and Wan Chai in one of the biggest gatherings since the pandemic began, in defiance of social distancing laws.
Shops and buildings quickly shut their doors, and people ran into side streets and pedestrian overpasses before soon moving back onto the main road. Large crowds had begun peacefully marching up Hennessy Road, when police fired multiple rounds of teargas, within 30 minutes of the protest’s official start time.
The police force said in a statement it was “maintaining law and order at the scene and using the minimum necessary force, including teargas, to disperse the rioters”. Shops and buildings quickly shut their doors, and people ran into side streets and pedestrian overpasses before soon returning to Hong Kong’s busiest arterial main road. Groups built makeshift barricades as police chased people through streets, making arrests and rounding up others to search them.
“Some rioters assaulted police officers and threw hard objects at them,” it said. Police, who were controversially cleared earlier this month by the police watchdog of accusations of brutality, repeatedly deployed tear gas, pepper spray, and water cannon.
Footage showed some protesters hurling plastic bottles, umbrellas, and small branches ripped from nearby trees at officers. Hong Kong police said in a statement it was “maintaining law and order at the scene and using the minimum necessary force, including teargas, to disperse the rioters”, after some assaulted officers and threw hard objects.
Numerous live streams showed protesters spreading over Hong Kong’s busiest arterial roads, stopping traffic. Police chased individual people down, made several arrests and rounded up others for stop and searches, and repeatedly warned crowds they would use force. Armoured vehicles and water cannon made their way to the most crowded sites. Footage showed some protesters hurling plastic bottles, umbrellas, and small branches ripped from nearby trees at officers, and photos showed smashed shop windows.
One 30-year-old protester, Ms Chan, told the Guardian: “Even if there’s a risk of being arrested, I’d still come out, I’ll fight till my last breath.” The rally, which was planned last week in relation to another controversial law which would criminalise ridicule of the national anthem, took on a new urgency after the Chinese Communist Party government revealed its plans on Thursday at last week’s annual meeting.
Mr Hui, 75, told the Guardian he was there “to protect my home”. The move by China appears to have increased anti-Beijing sentiment in Hong Kong and prompted calls from the protesters for Hong Kong’s complete independence – something absent from their demands so far. Despite accusations by Hong Kong and Chinese authorities of separatism, the pro-democracy movement officially has just five core demands, none of which are independence.
“I witnessed several decades of the Chinese Communist Party’s misdeeds, I escaped to Hong Kong because I believed in the ‘one country two systems’ and the Sino-British joint declaration,” he said. Crowds chanted “Hong Kong independence, only way”, “fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong”, and “rejuvenate Hong Kong, revolution of our time”. In Causeway Bay they sang “Glory to Hong Kong”, a song which has become an unofficial anthem of the protest movement. Others raised face masks in front of police to say they were attending a health forum and thus not breaching laws.
The Hong Kong government has relaxed many Covid restrictions but maintained limits on public gatherings, prompting accusations this was a tactic to prevent protests.
One 30-year-old protester, who gave her name as Ms Chan, told the Guardian: “Even if there’s a risk of being arrested, I’d still come out, I’ll fight till my last breath.”
A protester who gave his name as Mr Hui, 75, said he was there “to protect my home”.
“I witnessed several decades of the Chinese Communist party’s misdeeds, I escaped to Hong Kong [from mainland China] 40 years ago,” he said.
“Now they have completely ruined Hong Kong. I am here to protect my home. We’re the real patriots, not the Communist party.”“Now they have completely ruined Hong Kong. I am here to protect my home. We’re the real patriots, not the Communist party.”
Officers had earlier shut down information stalls set up by pro-democracy groups, ordered people to leave the area, and arrested People Power vice-chair Tam Tak-chi, who had been holding a purported health forum so as not to breach gathering laws. Tam chanted slogans as he was led away, followed by dozens of reporters. The decision being considered by Beijing’s National People’s Congress (NPC) would pave the way for a law outlawing acts of subversion, separatism, “acts of foreign interference” and terrorism against the central government, charges that have been used against political dissidents and opponents in mainland China.
Crowds chanted “HK independence, only way”, “fight for freedom stand with HK”, and “rejuvenate HK, revolution of our time”. In Causeway Bay they sang “Glory to Hong Kong”, a song which has become an unofficial anthem of the protest movement. Others raised face masks in front of police to say they were attending a health forum and thus not breaching laws.
The rally, which was planned last week in relation to another controversial law which would criminalise ridicule of the national anthem, took on a new urgency after the Chinese Communist Party government revealed its plans at last week’s annual meeting.
The draft legislation being considered by Beijing’s National People’s Congress (NPC) outlaws acts of subversion, separatism, “acts of foreign interference” and terrorism against the central government, charges that have been used against political dissidents and opponents in mainland China.
It would also allow Beijing to install its own security agencies in Hong Kong.It would also allow Beijing to install its own security agencies in Hong Kong.
Protest action began on Sunday morning with small groups of activists and pro-democracy politicians marching to China’s liaison office. They arranged themselves in groups of eight in order not to breach the government’s social distancing rules. The Hong Kong government has relaxed many restrictions but maintained limits on public gatherings, prompting accusations it was a tactic to prevent protests. On Sunday China’s foreign minister Wang Yi said the formulation of the legal framework would begin after the proposed decision is approved by the country’s legislature next week.
“A characteristic of a dictatorial country is that they use national security as a pretext to suppress freedom of speech,” Roy Tam, a district councillor shouted through a loud hailer. “We must get it done without the slightest delay.”
Eight activists from another group, League of Social Democrats, arrived to demonstrate in front of the office minutes later.
“Hong Kong people defending our human rights,” they chanted. “Don’t forget the June 4 massacre! Human rights are higher than the regime! Down with Communist Party dictatorship!”
Despite global condemnation, Hong Kong’s leader, Carrie Lam has given support for the NPC bypassing the Hong Kong government to impose the law itself.Despite global condemnation, Hong Kong’s leader, Carrie Lam has given support for the NPC bypassing the Hong Kong government to impose the law itself.
Under the Basic Law – the mini-constitution enacted when Hong Kong was handed to China by Britain in 1997 – Hong Kong is obligated to pass national security laws itself.However successive attempts to pass them have failed in the face of community opposition. Under the Basic Law – the mini-constitution enacted when Hong Kong was handed to China by Britain in 1997 – Hong Kong is obligated to pass national security laws itself. However successive attempts to pass them have failed in the face of community opposition.
Former legislator and co-drafter of the Basic Law, Martin Lee, has previously told the Guardian that the opposition is in part because governments had failed to deliver on the Basic Law’s promise of universal suffrage. The announcement that Beijing would impose the national security laws stunned Hong Kong’s residents, millions of whom marched through the city over the past year to protest against another controversial law, a now-shelved bill that would have allowed extradition to the mainland.
The announcement that Beijing would impose national security laws stunned Hong Kong’s residents, millions of whom have marched through the city to protest against a now-shelved bill which would allow extradition to the mainland, and to defend their democracy. The 1997 agreement handing Hong Kong back from Britain to China promised 50 years of uninterrupted semi-autonomy for Hong Kong under the “one country, two systems” principle.
The 1997 handover agreement promised 50 years of uninterrupted semi-autonomy for Hong Kong under the “one country two systems” principle.
With its announcement Beijing has been accused of trying to bring 2047 forward to 2020.With its announcement Beijing has been accused of trying to bring 2047 forward to 2020.
Mass protests in 2019, which have begun to rekindle now the city is emerging from pandemic restrictions, have been widely cited by authorities as the catalyst for the increased crackdown. Mass protests in 2019, which had begun to rekindle now the city is emerging from pandemic restrictions, have been widely cited by authorities as the catalyst for the increased crackdown.
Since June more than 8,000 people, including children, have been arrested over involvement in protests. There is fear that at a minimum, the new laws could be used to increase the charges against them. Since June more than 8,000 people, including protesters as young as 12 years old and 15 senior activists and pro-democracy figures, have been arrested over involvement in protests. There is fear that at a minimum, the new laws could be used to increase the charges against them.
Earlier this month the police watchdog effectively cleared officers of accusations of brutality, collusion, and excessive force, in a report that was labelled a whitewash by human rights groups.
Authorities openly took advantage of the city’s 7.4 million residents staying home to stop the spread of the virus, by rounding up senior activists and pro-democracy figures and cracking down on small breakout protests.
In recent weeks Beijing’s senior offices in Hong Kong have made interventionists statements about Hong Kong parliamentarians, and declared that constitutional bars on mainland interference do not apply to them.
The national security laws have been condemned around the world, with the US threatening consequences for mainland China.The national security laws have been condemned around the world, with the US threatening consequences for mainland China.