Thousands of people took to the streets of Hong Kong Sunday to mark China’s national day with a pro-democracy rally, and voice growing fears that the city’s liberties are under threat from Beijing. Emotions have been running high in the semi-autonomous city since protests…
Hong Kong (AFP) – Thousands of people took to the streets of Hong Kong Sunday to mark China’s national day with a pro-democracy rally, and voice growing fears that the city’s liberties are under threat from Beijing.
Emotions have been running high in the semi-autonomous city since protests in 2014 calling for Beijing to grant fully free leadership elections.
But the mass demonstrations, which blocked thoroughfares for 79 days and brought parts of the city to a standstill, failed to achieve political reform.
Sunday’s protest, dubbed an “anti-authoritarian rally”, follows the recent arrests of prominent pro-democracy activists, including a former lawmaker, that have renewed anti-China sentiment.
A number of other activists, including founding members of the 2014 campaign known as the Umbrella Movement, are also facing charges and possible jail terms.
“Authoritarian rule has already become Hong Kong’s reality,” Benny Tai, an organiser of the 2014 demonstrations, told protesters, who were mostly dressed in black.
“We are having today’s rally … because we hope more Hong Kong people will see the true nature of the government,” Tai, a law professor, said.
Participants in Sunday’s protest singled out the city’s leader Carrie Lam, justice secretary Rimsky Yuen and Chinese President Xi Jinping, whose pictures were placed on placards saying “authoritarian clown”.
