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WORLD NEWS Monday 19 august 2019

Hundreds of thousands turn out for peaceful HK protest

By KELVIN CHAN ing Hong Kong's relation-
YANAN WANG ship with the U.S. in ways
Associated Press that could further erode
HONG KONG (AP) — Hong the territory's reputation
Kong streets were turned for stability and rule of law.
into rivers of umbrellas That includes the recent
on Sunday as hundreds reintroduction of the Hong
of thousands of people Kong Human Rights and
marched through heavy Democracy Act in Con-
rain down a major road in gress, which would among
the Chinese territory, where its other provisions require
massive pro-democracy the secretary of state to is-
demonstrations have be- sue an annual certification
come a regular weekend of Hong Kong's autonomy
activity. Organizers said at to justify special treatment
least 1.7 million participat- afforded to the city.
ed, though the police esti- More directly, President
mate was far lower. Donald Trump could simply
The assembly was peace- issue an executive order
ful, with no reports of vio- suspending Hong Kong's
lence, making for a rare special trading status with
calm weekend in a protest the U.S., a move that could
movement that has been A demonstrator holds up a sign reading "Back away slowly" to encourage demonstrators to leave, have a devastating effect
marked by violent clashes near the Chinese Liaison Office in Hong Kong, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2019. on the local economy at
with police. Law enforce- Associated Press a time when Beijing and
ment officers kept a low world that Hong Kong peo- ignated assembly area. U.S. lawmakers supportive Washington are engaged
profile, with no riot police ple can be totally peace- Public transit trains did not of Hong Kong's pro-de- in a bitter trade war.
seen from the procession's ful," she said. stop at stations near the mocracy movement. A former British colony,
main routes. When strag- The Civil Human Rights Front assembly because of over- You called the lawmakers' Hong Kong was returned
glers convened outside a had organized three previ- crowding. comments "a gross viola- to Beijing in 1997 under the
government complex in ous massive marches in Jimmy Shan of the Civil Hu- tion of the spirit of the rule framework of "one country,
the late evening, other pro- Hong Kong since June. The man Rights Front said the of law, a blatant double two systems," which prom-
testers urged them to go movement, however, has group estimated that at standard and a gross inter- ised residents certain dem-
home. been increasingly marked least 1.7 million took part in ference in China's internal ocratic rights not afforded
Demonstrators who were by clashes with police as the rally. He said the figure affairs." to people in mainland Chi-
shining laser pointers at demonstrators vent their did not include those who He said that Hong Kong's na. But some Hong Kongers
a government building frustrations over what they were not able to make it to 7.5 million people and the have accused the Com-
were convinced to leave, perceive to be the govern- Victoria Park — where the Chinese population as a munist Party-ruled central
prompting applause from ment's blatant refusal to re- march began — due to whole rejected the actions government of eroding
others in the group. spond to their demands. traffic constraints. of a "very small group of their freedoms in recent
"We hope to see whether "Peace is the No. 1 prior- Police, whose crowd figures violent protesters" as well as years.
the government gives a re- ity today," said Kiki Ma, a are generally lower than "any interference of foreign The protest movement's
sponse to this peaceful pro- 28-year-old accountant the organizers' estimates, forces." demands include the resig-
test," said Michael Leung, a who participated in the said the turnout at the as- You did not mention any nation of Hong Kong lead-
24-year-old who was usher- march. "We want to show signed location and during specific lawmaker, but nu- er Carrie Lam, democratic
ing his fellow demonstrators that we aren't like the gov- the designated time period merous U.S. senators and elections and an indepen-
away. "If we get a negative ernment." was 128,000. Many protest- Congress members, includ- dent investigation into po-
response, we cannot con- While police granted ap- ers, however, did not follow ing House Speaker Nancy lice use of force.
trol the next (gathering)." proval for the rally, they the pre-approved guide- Pelosi, have affirmed the Harley Ho, a 20-year-old
Organizer Bonnie Leung of didn't approve an ac- lines laid out by the authori- U.S. commitment to hu- social work student who at-
the Civil Human Rights Front companying march. Dem- ties. man rights and urged Hong tended Sunday's rally, said
said earlier in the day that onstrators nevertheless In Beijing, You Wenze, a Kong's government to end protesters were undeterred
she hoped there would be fanned out and filled the spokesman for China's cer- the standoff. by the rain and would not
no "chaotic situations." streets, as there was not emonial legislature, con- Congress also has the pow- rest until their demands
"We hope we can show the enough space at the des- demned statements from er to pass legislation affect- were met.q