As office workers turned out for their now-routine “lunch with you” rally yesterday, dozens of pro-Beijing supporters marched to the U.S. Consulate in protest of the recently signed Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, stomping on an American flag and even burning an effigy of U.S. President Donald Trump.
In videos circulating online, a small crowd can be seen walking in front of the consulate, waving the Chinese flag and holding signs reading “Cancel the useless law.” The demonstrators also chanted “Oppose Trump!” and angrily stomped on a US flag. (Treating the Chinese flag similarly in Hong Kong carries a penalty of up to three years in prison.)
Several dozen pro-Beijing activists just marched to the US Consulate to protest against d Hong Kong Human Rights & Democracy Act. They stepped on a US flag to show their anger at Washington. One of them called the US legislation “a useless piece of paper” #hongkongprotests pic.twitter.com/NGcsBBVc9y
— Joanne Wong (@JOceanW) December 3, 2019
RTHK reports that an American Consulate representative reportedly accepted a petition from the crowd, who called for Trump to step down.
Meanwhile, also at Tuesday lunchtime, a group of pro-Beijing protesters marched from Chater Garden to the US Consulate to voice their anger at the #HongKong Human Rights and Democracy Act, burning an effigy of Donald Trump.
Photo: RTHK screenshot. pic.twitter.com/LxZcd7XdT5
— Hong Kong Free Press HKFP (@hkfp) December 3, 2019
Trump signed the HKHRDA last week amid a rare showing of veto-proof bipartisan support for the legislation, which requires the U.S. to annually reassess Hong Kong’s autonomy from the mainland in order to justify its special trade status.
