Tension rises as protests step up

HONG KONG: POLITICAL UNREST THE WORST SINCE 1997

National Day celebrations dubbed ‘Day of Grief’.

Fierce clashes broke out between protesters and riot police in Hong Kong yesterday as thousands marched through the strife-torn city during a day of global protests aimed at casting a shadow over communist China’s upcoming 70th birthday.

Beijing is preparing for huge, tightly-choreographed festivities from tomorrow to mark the founding of the People’s Republic of China, including a huge military parade.

But ongoing unrest in Hong Kong threatens to upstage those celebrations as the semi-autonomous city boils with public anger over the erosion of its special freedoms under Beijing’s rule.

Democracy activists had vowed to ramp up their fourmonth-long campaign ahead of tomorrow’s National Day celebrations, which Hong Kong protesters have dubbed a “Day of Grief”.

Yesterday witnessed the most intense clashes in weeks as police used teargas, rubber bullets and water cannons at multiple locations during running battles with hardcore protesters hurling rocks and petrol bombs.

Protesters called for “anti-totalitarian” rallies to be held around the globe. Marches were held in Australia and Taiwan, with more planned in some 40 locations across Europe and North America.

Clashes broke out before Hong Kong’s march had begun after angry crowds in the shopping district of Causeway Bay surrounded and heckled officers.

An AFP reporter witnessed masked men repeatedly beating pro-democracy protesters with long sticks.

Hong Kong’s protesters have stepped up their international lobbying in recent weeks.

Many of Hong Kong’s more hardcore protesters have taken inspiration from the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution, which ousted a pro-Russian president.

A 62-year-old protester, who gave his surname as Man, said he felt people’s livelihoods and freedoms had deteriorated since Hong Kong was handed back to China by Britain in 1997.

“I don’t want to topple the regime, but it definitely needs to be changed,” he said. “It needs to seek a reconciliation with the people.” Over the past 17 weeks, Hong Kong has witnessed the worst political unrest since its handover to China in 1997.

The city’s summer of discontent was first triggered by an extradition Bill to the mainland that has now been shelved.

But the movement has since morphed into a call for free elections and less intervention from Beijing. – AFP

The regime needs to seek a reconciliation with people

Picture: AFP VENTING THEIR FEELINGS. Protesters burn debris in the street during clashes with police following an earlier unsanctioned protest march through Hong Kong yesterday.