‘Free Hong Kong’: Thousands rally for democracy, as anti-extradition protesters occupy roads, clash with police
1 July 2019 18:00 local time
Thousands attended Kong’s annual July 1 democracy march on Monday, as a standoff unfolded outside the city’s legislature following early morning clashes between protesters and police.
Just before 3pm, crowds wearing black and white poured out of Victoria Park chanting “free Hong Kong” and “democracy now.”
Protesters called for the controversial extradition law to be scrapped, for political prisoners to be released and for democratic reform to be restarted. They also demanded the characterisation of the June 12 anti-extradition law protest as a “riot” be retracted, and for the police to be investigated for apparent misconduct after using crowd control weapons. They also chanted for Chief Executive Carrie Lam to step down.
Meanwhile, anti-extradition law demonstrators in Admiralty attempted to break into the legislature using trollies and metal bars.
From within the building, police wearing riot gear and gas masks unfurled a warning banner in response, saying force may be used to disperse them. Some were able to enter at the rear but metal shutters prevented them from entering any of the rooms.
Protesters try to push a metal cart through a closed entrance at the government headquarters in Hong Kong on July 1, 2019 on the 22nd anniversary of the city’s handover from Britain to China.
Police urged the pro-democracy rally’s organisers, the Civil Human Rights Front, to either postpone their demonstration, end it in Wan Chai, or hold it only in Victoria Park.
“Police are disappointed that the organiser did not put people’s safety as top priority,” a spokesperson said at a press conference.
The pro-democracy coalition, however, said it was unable to reach a consensus with the police regarding the endpoint.
The organisers therefore rerouted protesters to Chater Road, Central. As the area was not an agreed part of the police “no objection” letter, the Front encouraged protesters to leave the rally early, if they wished.
The annual march has been held since 2003 and calls for democratic freedoms to be preserved under the One Country Two Systems principle, implemented after the city’s 1997 Handover to China.
The rally came as hundreds of masked protesters blocked roads around the Legislative Council using makeshift barricades.
At an Amnesty International booth, protesters vote on which freedoms they are afraid of losing – press freedom, internet freedom or freedom of assembly.
Several were injured after clashes broke out on Monday morning, as pepper spray and batons were used by police to keep crowds away from the Hong Kong SAR Establishment Day ceremonies in Wan Chai.
Police said that 13 officers had been sent to hospital for treatment after an unknown substance was thrown over them.
In an evening press release, the government “strongly condemned” protesters who charged the legislative building using trolleys and metal bars, calling the actions “extremely violent.”
Crisis deepens
The political crisis over the government’s reviled extradition bill has deepened over months of mass protests, some of which have ended in violence as police used rubber bullets and batons against crowds advancing forwards.
The bill, which would enable the chief executive and courts to approve fugitive transfer requests to jurisdictions including China, was suspended on June 15 but not axed.
The protests have since morphed into a wider public display of discontent over dwindling freedoms, alleged police brutality, and calls for democracy.
Ex-lawmaker Edward Yiu told HKFP that he did not think the protests outside the city’s legislature influenced the turnout for the democracy rally, as the public were still angry over the suspended extradition bill.
In response to Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s pledge to listen to Hongkongers, Yiu said: “Of course, she is only paying lip service to Hong Kong people. The reason is very simple. It’s because there’s no democracy in Hong Kong and she only listens to her bosses in Beijing. That is why we need to come out and fight for democratic values.”
Social worker Jackie Chen and Lun Chi-wai told HKFP that they went to the legislature on Sunday to offer emotional support to protesters and tell police not to use force: “Social workers can’t stop protesters. All we can do is to tell the police not to use excessive force when arresting them,” Chen said. “We can see that the force used by police was excessive. We need to remind the police to maintain their basic standards.”
Chen said many young people were finding things to do out of desperation, such as building barricades or trying to break into the legislature: “They have tried many kinds of protests… but there were no results. They really want to achieve something, but there are no methods.”
At Monday’s annual flag-raising ceremony to mark 22 years since the city’s transfer of sovereignty, Lam pledged to listen more to the public.
“I am also fully aware that while we have good intentions, we still need to be open and accommodating,” she added. “While the government has to ensure administrative efficiency, it still needs to listen patiently.”
Photos and Videos : https://www.hongkongfp.com/2019/07/01/breaking-thousands-hong-kong-rally-democracy-anti-extradition-protesters-try-break-legislature/
Organisers say 550,000 attend annual July 1 democracy march as protesters occupy legislature
1 July 2019 - 21:42 local time
Organisers have said 550,000 attended the annual July 1 democracy march, as protesters storm Hong Kong’s legislature after breaking into its rear entrance.
The largely peaceful march on Monday was organised by the Civil Human Rights Front, a coalition of 50 pro-democracy groups, who said that over half a million people attended. Police put the turnout figure at 190,000.
Photo: Todd R. Darling/HKFP. https://www.hongkongfp.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/photo6111803479879166171-Copy.jpg
The event saw thousands pour into major thoroughfares in central Hong Kong on the 22nd anniversary of the city’s 1997 Handover. Many attendees held up signs calling for democracy and the withdrawal of the controversial extradition bill, which was suspended on June 15 but not axed.
Other protest demands included for political prisoners to be released; for the characterisation of the June 12 anti-extradition protest as a “riot” to be retracted; for Chief Executive Carrie Lam to resign, and for the police to be investigated for apparent misconduct after using crowd control weapons.
The government said in a statement on Monday evening that it respects the public’s right to peaceful freedom of assembly: “The government clearly understands that members of the public have concerns and doubts about the proposed amendments to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance, and has put a stop to the legislative amendment exercise. The bill will lapse after the current term of the Legislative Council ends in July next year,” a spokesperson added.
However, a separate demonstration at the rear of the Legislative Council (LegCo) Complex escalated as masked protesters broke into the facility after upturning metal gates, spray-painting its interior and defacing portraits of current and former LegCo presidents. Police appeared to retreat to areas deeper within the building as protesters entered.
Photo: Todd R. Darling/HKFP. https://www.hongkongfp.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/photo6111803479879166164-Copy.jpg
The complex was evacuated at around 6pm after a red alert was issued for the first time in history.
The government condemned the unrest as “extremely violent,” saying it has never tolerated such actions: “Protesters who resort to violence must stop their acts immediately. The police will take appropriate enforcement action to protect public order and safety,” a spokesperson said.
Hong Kong protesters occupy legislative chamber after smashing windows, vandalising corridors
1 July 2019 21:46 local time
Hong Kong anti-government protesters have stormed the city’s legislature after breaking glass doors and prying open gates at the rear.
A group of demonstrators had been ramming doors and windows around the complex since Monday afternoon, despite warnings from police in riot gear that they may face arrest.
An unidentified liquid was thrown onto walls as barricades were carried into the complex by protesters.
Pictures of Legislative Council President Andrew Leung and former president Rita Fan were defaced.
Portraits of Andrew Wong and John Swaine – two presidents who served before the 1997 Handover remained untouched, as did a picture of Jasper Tsang, who was president between 2008 and 2016.
Protesters eventually entered the main chamber of the building where the Hong Kong emblem was spray-painted black.
A protester stood on the president’s desk saying that the government must respond to their demands.
A banner read “there are no rioters, only a tyrannous government,” as one demonstrator destroyed a copy of the Basic Law.
A British colonial flag – often used in protesters – was also unfurled at the president’s chair.
Pro-democracy lawmakers Fernando Cheung, Au Nok-hin and Ray Chan were seen in the main chamber.
They said they would try to calm the situation down. “But there is not much we can do,” Chan said.
Leung Kai-ping, a former editor of the HKU student magazine, urged others to stay and occupy the legislature: “If we don’t stay here, we will be painted as rioters on television tomorrow… Our faces have all been recorded. If we leave, Hong Kong’s civil society will go backwards ten years and we will never be back here.”
In a statement, the government urged protesters to leave the legislature: “This evening, some radical protesters stormed the Legislative Council Complex with extreme violence. These protesters seriously jeopardised the safety of police officers and members of the public. Such violent acts are unacceptable to society.
The HKSAR Government strongly condemns such acts, and protesters should stop violent acts immediately.”
Police announced at around 10:21pm that they would soon clear the protesters.
Photos and videos https://www.hongkongfp.com/2019/07/01/breaking-hong-kong-protesters-storm-legislature-breaking-glass-doors-prying-gates-open/