Scuffles erupted along the route of a rally yesterday afternoon to mark China’s national day in Hong Kong, with protesters decrying ever-increasing influence of the central government in the city’s affairs.
The demonstration, between Causeway Bay and Admiralty, ended with three security guards taken to hospital after a confrontation with protesters, though most of the 1500 people in attendance marched peacefully.
With placards, flags, banners and chants, they took aim at several issues while snaking their way through the city’s streets after leaving near SOGO shopping mall around 3pm.
Among major concerns raised were long-feared plans to implement a controversial security law, known as Article 23, which critics say will encroach on freedom of speech in Hong Kong.
Demonstrators also denounced Transport and Housing secretary Frank Chan and called for his resignation over his handling of the MTR’s Sha Tin-to-Central link, which has been marred by safety concerns and dogged by questions of substandard construction.
This year’s protest also comes amid deepening tensions in the territory and fears of ever-increasing interference from the mainland into Hong Kong.
A symbol of the anxiety has been the opening of a controversial high-speed rail link between Hong Kong and China which began operating late last month, allowing Chinese security officials to implement mainland law in a section of the West Kowloon terminus.
Also on protesters’ minds was the decision by the Hong Kong government last week to ban the pro-independence Hong Kong National Party, the first time since the city returned to China in 1997 that authorities have outlawed a political group.
The rally, however, was less substantial than the pro-democracy march held annually on July 1, the day marking Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule. According to the Civil Human Rights Front, around 1,500 people attended yesterday’s rally.
Those taking part in protests included people like 65-year-old pensioner Mrs Chan, who arrived at the protest with her 4-year-old granddaughter Jing.
Chan told Coconuts HK that she wanted democracy, human rights, and the downfall of the Communist Party.
“I’ve been coming to this protest for years and I bring my granddaughter with me all the time. It’s important for Hongkongers, especially young people to keep coming to this protest,” Chan said.
“We’re all Hongkongers, and we are all Chinese, we care about China’s future, and it’s important for us to speak out out.”
The march was also attended by a small group of pro-Beijing supports. At one point in the rally, opposing sides confronted each other.
A group of pro-independence activists — waving the British colonial and Catalan flag joined the larger group of protesters — a group of pro-Beijing supporters joined in and began yelling “this is China”, prompting counter calls of “Hong Kong is not China” from other protesters.
At the end of the rally, as protesters started heading into Civic Square outside the Central Government Office, police stopped a man holding a placard that read “Hong Kong would become China if it doesn’t become independent.”
Authorities said the banner wasn’t allowed inside the square, and after a minor scuffle — which saw Demosistō leader Joshua Wong intervene — the demonstrators were allowed to enter the square after they put the placard away, although it was displayed again after they entered.
At one point during the day, an ambulance had to be be called in after protesters and security guards at the complex clashed over a Hong Kong independence flag.
A government spokesperson issued a statement last night saying they expressed regret over the incident, but added that activities advocating Hong Kong independence on the site were not allowed.
The annual national day protest comes days after hundreds of people gathered in Admiralty to mark the fourth anniversary of the Umbrella Movement protests, where pro-democracy leaders urged Hongkongers to keep on fighting.
