Demonstrations intensify as communist China prepares to celebrate 70th birthday
The crisis in Hong Kong has worsened as pro-Democracy protesters clash with riot police and plan further demonstrations for China’s 70th anniversary.
Fierce clashes broke out between protesters and riot police in Hong Kong on Sunday (local time) as thousands marched through the strife-torn city, during a day of global protests aimed at casting a shadow over communist China’s upcoming 70th birthday.
Beijing is preparing for huge, tightly-choreographed festivities from Tuesday to mark the founding of the People’s Republic of China, including a massive military parade that will revel in the country’s emergence as a global superpower.
But ongoing unrest in Hong Kong threatens to upstage those celebrations as the semi-autonomous city boils with public anger over the erosion of its special freedoms under Beijing’s rule.
Democracy activists in the financial hub had vowed to ramp up their nearly four-month-long campaign ahead of Tuesday’s National Day celebrations, which Hong Kong protesters have dubbed a “Day of Grief”.
Sunday witnessed the most intense clashes in weeks as police used tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons at multiple locations for hours during running battles with hardcore protesters hurling rocks and petrol bombs.
Using online forums and social media, demonstrators had called for “anti-totalitarian” rallies to be held around the globe. Marches were held in Australia — where more than 1000 people rallied in Sydney — and Taiwan, with more planned in some 40 locations across Europe and North America later in the day.
Clashes broke out before Hong Kong’s unsanctioned march had begun after angry groups in the shopping district of Causeway Bay surrounded and heckled officers who were conducting stop and searches.
But the tear gas fired by police only emboldened the crowds, who then began walking through the streets in their thousands.
RUNNING BATTLES
Some hardcore activists vandalised subway stations, tore down banners proclaiming the upcoming 70th anniversary celebrations and set fire to makeshift barricades.
Many marchers were holding so-called “Chinazi flags”, a version of the Chinese flag with yellow stars arranged in the shape of a swastika.
Police spent hours firing tear gas and rubber bullets at different locations across the city centre and were seen making multiple arrests throughout the day.
An AFP reporter witnessed masked men repeatedly beating pro-democracy protesters in Wanchai district using long sticks.
It was not clear if the men were officers dressed as protesters, a tactic increasingly used by the force.
A member of the media was also treated by volunteer medics after being hit in the face with a police projectile, while at least two men were attacked by democracy demonstrators and a taxi was trashed.
Hospital authorities late Sunday said 13 people were admitted, one in a serious condition.
A 20-year-old student, who gave his first name as Tony, was waving a Ukrainian flag.
Many of Hong Kong’s more hardcore protesters have taken inspiration from the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution which ousted a pro-Russian president.
“We are hoping that if we connect to different parts of the world and fight against Chinese communism, we will win this movement,” he said.
A 62-year-old protester, who gave his surname as Man, said he felt people’s livelihoods and freedoms had deteriorated since Hong Kong was handed back to China by Britain in 1997.
“I don’t want to topple the regime, but it definitely needs to change,” he said. “It needs to seek a reconciliation with the people.”
MONTHS OF UNREST
Over the last 17 weeks, Hong Kong has witnessed the worst political unrest since its handover to China in 1997 with huge pro-democracy rallies as well as increasingly intense clashes between police and a minority of violent protesters.
The city’s summer of discontent was first triggered by an extradition bill to the mainland that has now been shelved.
But the movement has since morphed into a call for free elections and less intervention from Beijing.
On Friday and Saturday night, tens of thousands of people turned out for two peaceful rallies.
But there were brief clashes on Saturday night when police used water cannon and tear gas to beat back small groups of protesters hurling bricks and petrol bombs at a government building.
Students are planning a one-day strike today (Monday) while activists have called for people to dress in black on Tuesday.
Under the policy of “one country, two systems”, China has offered tiny Hong Kong certain liberties denied to citizens on the mainland — including freedom of expression, unfettered access to the internet, and an independent judiciary.
But the arrangement is due to expire in 2047 and many accuse Beijing of eroding some of those freedoms in recent years.
Protesters are calling for an independent inquiry into the police, an amnesty for those arrested and the right to elect their leaders — demands repeatedly dismissed by China and city leader Carrie Lam.
It comes as demonstrators attempted to disperse and avoid police squadrons, but with subway stations closed they had to change out of their signature black T-shirts, flag down volunteer drivers or even attempt to cross the mountainous centre of Hong Kong Island.
Clashes occurred earlier than usual on Sunday after thousands marched peacefully through Hong Kong Island before gathering in front of government headquarters, where they threw bricks and petrol bombs over a barrier at riot police.
MORE NEWS
FBI expands Epstein probe to snare Prince Andrew accusers
How Meghan is fixing her image problem
China is ‘harvesting organs’ from Muslim people
DOZENS OF ARRESTS
“We are all aware we could get arrested, we try our best to not get caught, but we still have to stand up because Hong Kong is our home,” said one protester.
Police later fired a water cannon with blue abrasive dye from behind the barrier.
Tactical police swept in and made dozens of arrests, battering some protesters into submission.
More mass arrests took place near Hong Kong’s High Court, where police pinned protesters to the ground with several appearing to be severely injured. Nonetheless protesters refused to disperse, as they did at a similar demonstration on Saturday.
Smaller skirmishes occurred across Hong Kong Island.
In one, an undercover police officer fired a shot into the air after protesters threw bricks at a group of undercover officers, according to the South China Morning Post.
Anger at China and the Communist Party and its perceived interference in Hong Kong affairs is just one sign of how the protest movement has changed since it began in June.
Initial protests quickly escalated into a far greater political crisis as the government failed to meet protest demands as hundreds of thousands peacefully marched in the streets.
Police violence and arrests have become another key concern, and one reason protests continue even after Hong Kong’s chief executive Carrie Lam formally withdrew the extradition bill this month.
‘You will be dominated’: Huge China warning
As Australia’s biggest war-games reach their tail end, Canberra has been hit with a grim warning about a “threat” facing future generations.
Trump says nations agree to ceasefire talks
Donald Trump said the nations have agreed to “quickly work out” a ceasefire after border clashes have left over 30 people dead and 150,000 people displaced.
Major new travel warning for Aussies
Australians have been warned to exercise a “high degree of caution” in Thailand amid an escalating border conflict with Cambodia that has left dozens of people dead.