New Million-Person Protest Against China in Hong Kong
Hong Kong witnessed street protests once again over the weekend. More than one million people, despite China’s threats and heavy rain, took to the streets of Hong Kong to protest and demanded free elections.
Despite Beijing’s threats of military intervention in Hong Kong, more than one million supporters of the democracy movement in the former British colony took to the streets. The gathering point on Sunday, August 18 (Mordad 27), was Victoria Park, which was packed with crowds.
German news agency reports that heavy rain did not prevent protesters today in Hong Kong from loudly chanting slogans in defense of freedom and democracy. The demonstration proceeded peacefully until late evening (local time).
The Civil Human Rights Front union had called on people to participate in today’s protest. With its previous protests, this union had successfully halted the local parliament’s plan—which is pro-China government—regarding the extradition bill of suspects to the People’s Republic of China. Meanwhile, the slogans of Hong Kong’s protests are increasingly targeting the entire Chinese government.
Hong Kong was a British colony until 1997 and was then returned to China. This island city will actually enjoy special status and rights until 2047. However, many Hong Kong citizens are concerned that these special rights may be taken away from them.
The million-plus person protest on Sunday in Hong Kong, which has a population of approximately seven and a half million, is considered an indicator of the support of its citizens for the democracy movement.
While the German news agency correspondent estimated the number of protesters at over one million, the organizers of the demonstration spoke of 1.7 million participants, and police reported the presence of 128,000 people in Victoria Park. Police did not release statistics on the total number of participants in the demonstration.
Despite an official ban, close to midnight local time, tens of thousands of people were still peacefully marching in the streets. However, police did not intervene.
The Civil Human Rights Front of Hong Kong announced that another major protest will be held on August 31, and stated “today was not the end of this matter.”
China has not yet issued an official response to Sunday’s Hong Kong protests.
Speakers at the gathering repeatedly urged the crowd to remain calm. One of the protest organizers told the German news agency: “We hope to be able to show the world that the people of Hong Kong can maintain their composure.”
German news agency reports that when heavy rain began, protesters opened their umbrellas. No one left because of it.
In recent days, China has strongly threatened Hong Kong protesters. Given the movements of Chinese military forces near Hong Kong, concerns have arisen that China might suppress protesters in Hong Kong as it did in Beijing in 1989.
In addition to criticizing the pro-China local parliament in Hong Kong, protest participants are demanding free elections and investigations into police violence against protesters and participants in previous demonstrations.
Before Sunday’s demonstration, Federica Mogherini, head of foreign policy for the European Union, emphasized in a statement that measures must be taken as soon as possible to ease tensions in Hong Kong. She said that for this purpose, it is important that both sides engage in direct dialogue. Mogherini warned that civil rights rooted in Hong Kong’s laws should not be undermined. She stated that the principle of “one country, two systems,” on the basis of which Hong Kong enjoys a high degree of autonomy, must be preserved.
Source: DW
