Protesters in Hong Kong storm Parliament | News Asia | '
The group of several hundred people penetrated into the regional parliament with a makeshift battering ram, assembled from trolleys, metal sticks and scaffolding parts. The demonstrators, mostly students, wearing protective goggles, breathing masks and helmets, smashed the reinforced glass front entrance to gain access to the building. They destroyed parts of the facility, tore down pictures and sprayed grafittis on the walls.
The "weapon" of the demonstrators
As the Hong Kong newspaper "South China Morning Post" reported, the police initially withdrew from the parliament. Previously, the staff equipped with truncheons and pepper spray had been trying for hours to prevent the demonstrators from entering the building. The police threatened the rioters to clear the building with "reasonable severity" and went in front of the building with batons and tear gas against sympathizers. When riot police finally stormed Parliament, most protesters had already left the building. The security forces encountered little resistance as they entered the forecourt of the parliament building. With tools they cleared barricades, which the activists had erected.
Grafitti in the plenary hall
While the situation in the government district escalated, hundreds of thousands of people took part in a peaceful protest march in the evening in the city. On the 22nd anniversary of the return of the former British Crown Colony to China, they again demonstrated against the government and a controversial extradition law that has been causing protests for weeks. In order not to get close to the riots, the organizers of the big protest march changed their route at short notice.
The vast majority of protesters are protesting peacefully against China
In many places banners with the inscription "Free Hong Kong" hung on bridges. The law, which aims to allow the extradition of foreigners to China, has been put on ice, but the demonstrators demand the complete abolition.
Hong Kong's political elite is apparently afraid of its own people
The People's Republic of China denies any influence on the government of the Special Administrative Region. However, among the demonstrators, there is a widespread belief that the extradition law is just another step towards China's full control. Hong Kong's controversial Prime Minister Carrie Lam and the invited guests were following the traditional flag ceremony for the anniversary not in the open air, but on a screen in a nearby convention center, which was officially founded with bad weather.
First impact on the financial center
Meanwhile, the first effects of the situation on the development of the economic and financial metropolis are known. Wealthy business people are starting to leave Hong Kong and trying to bring their property to safety, as lawyers and bankers from the business metropolis report.
The plenary hall – occupied by the protesters
On July 1, 1997, Britain returned its Hong Kong crown colony to China. Actually, according to the return agreement, the Hong Kong people have more freedom until 2047 than the Chinese in the People's Republic. But more and more Hong Kong citizens have the impression that Beijing is already curtailing their rights.
qu / uh (rtr, dpa, afpe)
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