Marchers ignore police-dictated endpoint as tens of thousands again take to Hong Kong streets

Tens of thousands take to Hong Kong’s streets in protest of controversial extradition legislation on Sunday, July 21. Photo by Vicky Wong/Coconuts Hong Kong
Tens of thousands take to Hong Kong’s streets in protest of controversial extradition legislation on Sunday, July 21. Photo by Vicky Wong/Coconuts Hong Kong

Tens of thousands who took to the streets of Hong Kong today to march in protest of controversial anti-extradition legislation have passed the area of Wan Chai where the police-approved “letter of no objection” stipulated the march end.

On Friday, Coconuts HK reported that while police had granted a permit for today’s march, that permission came with one caveat, that it end not at the Court of Final Appeal in Admiralty but at the junction of Lugar and Johnston Roads in Wan Chai.

As crowds approached the stopping point today, however, police in the area simply abandoned the area to let them proceed.

As of 5pm, Coconuts HK reporters covering the march were well beyond the proposed end point and approaching government headquarters. Near Luard Road, a representative of march organizer the Civil Human Rights Front could be heard telling protesters to disperse over a loudspeaker to no avail.

As of this story’s publishing, a crowd chaing “Hong Kong police break the law” was gathering outside police headquarters, which was chanting blocked off with large, water-filled barriers.

This is the seventh consecutive week of protests to take place in Hong Kong. While the largest of the marches have generally been peaceful, violent clashes between police and lingering protesters late in the day has been a recurring theme.

Last Monday, police announced the arrest of 37 protesters after a Sunday clash in Sha Tin, that allegedly saw a police officer lose a finger.



Reader Interactions

Leave A Reply


BECOME A COCO+ MEMBER

Support local news and join a community of like-minded
“Coconauts” across Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.

Join Now
Coconuts TV
Our latest and greatest original videos
Subscribe on