City
Epaper

Black-clad HK protesters gather for mass rally

By IANS | Updated: August 18, 2019 13:10 IST

Protesters dressed in black participated in a mass anti-government rally in Hong Kong's Victoria Park on Sunday, a day after tens of thousands of people took to the streets on the 11th weekend of unrest sparked by the now-shelved extradition bill.

Open in App

Relief spread across the city as anti-government protests ended relatively peacefully on Saturday, with no tear gas fired, the South China Morning Post reported.

Sunday's protest organiser, the Civil Human Rights Front, had applied to the police for a march from Causeway Bay to Central.

But police only allowed a rally within Victoria Park, saying the front could not ensure public safety given violence at recent protests.

The organisers have estimated that the rally will be attended by more than 100,000 people.

Reading out the rally declaration amid heavy rain, Civil Human Rights Front convenor Jimmy Sham said that while protesters have pressurised the government into suspending the now-shelved extradition bill, which would would have allowed criminal suspects to be sent to mainland China, the city police were carrying out Chinese-government-style suppression.

He criticised the police for firing tear gas, rubber bullets and beanbag rounds on the protesters and even near elderly-care homes.

"The people of Hong Kong are outraged at the government and police," he said, adding their says fight will not be over even after Sunday's rally ends.

Mass protests erupted in June over the Hong Kong government's now-shelved extradition bill, the South China Morning Post reported.

The administration dropped the draft legislation on June 15, with city leader Carrie Lam later declaring it dead.

Since then protesters have escalated their campaign with street demonstrations and non-cooperative action, some of which have turned violent through clashes with police and those loyal to the government.

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: chinaSouth China Morning PostCivil Human Rights FrontHong KongJimmy Sham
Open in App

Related Stories

InternationalChina Blast: 17 Inured as Explosion Rocks Residential Area in Shanxi Province; Disturbing Video Goes Viral

BusinessGlobal Tech Firms Eye India for Manufacturing Amid US-China Tensions

OpinionsWill the Trump Card work Against China?

International20 Dead After Fire Blows Up A Nursing Home In Northern China (Photos)

InternationalUS Imposes 104% Tariff on China, Effective April 9

International Realted Stories

InternationalIsrael approves plan to expand military operations, occupy Gaza: official

InternationalIran rejects accusations of involvement in Houthi attacks on Israel

International14 injured in pre-dawn US airstrikes on Yemeni capital: Medics

InternationalIndia urges Asian Development Bank to discontinue financial support to Pakistan: Report

InternationalNZ Central Bank warns of impact of AI rise on financial stability