Hong Kong leader warns of crisis
Protests about ‘ulterior motives,’ she says, rips call for strike
HONG KONG — Hong Kong’s leader said early today that pro-democracy protests have pushed the city to the “verge of a very dangerous situation” and that the government will be resolute in ensuring public order.
Carrie Lam delivered the remarks during a morning news conference after demonstrators called for a citywide strike by workers. More than 100 flights of domestic carriers, including Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines, were canceled at the city’s airport, and Hong Kong media said the airport express train service has been suspended.
Lam took responsibility for problems as chief executive, but she said she has no plans to resign over the civil unrest targeting her administration. She said it was time for Hong Kong residents to set aside their differences and “rally together.”
She said the protests were no longer about the extradition legislation that her administration had shelved and now were about “ulterior motives” targeting Hong Kong’s prosperity and security. The legislation would have allowed Hong Kong residents to be sent to mainland China to stand trial.
Hong Kong demonstrators say they are demanding greater government accountability and an investigation into alleged police abuse. Since the pro-democracy movement began two months ago, police have deployed tear gas, rubber bullets and other crowd-control measures.
The demonstrators have begun adapting to riot police tactics, moving en masse to a luxury shopping district Sunday evening after tear gas cleared out an area they were occupying.
“We can’t defend it!” was the cry that signaled to protesters it was time to move out. It meant that police had appeared and were firing tear gas. A person holding a purple banner that said “Move Back Slowly” led demonstrators to the nearest public transit and toward another target.
Over several hours in successive waves on Sunday, different districts filled with the sound of protesters erecting and just as hastily taking down their improvised barricades.
Many of the demonstrators fear China is chipping away at the judicial independence essential to the “one country, two systems” framework, which promised Hong Kong 50 years of certain freedoms not afforded to the mainland when the former British colony was returned to China in 1997.
“We are not just another Chinese city, and this is not yet 2047,” said rally participant Cara Lee. “I feel ashamed because for a long time we didn’t do anything. But now we are awake. I have to speak for the next generation.”
Sunday’s rallies kicked off at public parks in different parts of the city. One quickly devolved after protesters used what appeared to be a long, homemade slingshot to hurl rocks and bricks at a police station.
After police began to clear the area, protesters converged on the other rally on Hong Kong Island, where demonstrators were already putting on gas masks and handing out Pocari Sweat, a Japanese sports drink favored by the movement.
Even when tear gas is not used, many protesters wear masks and balaclavas to conceal their identities. Last week, police charged 44 demonstrators with rioting, an offense that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail. During clashes Saturday, at least an additional 20 were arrested.
The potential repercussions have compelled protesters to maintain anonymity whenever possible. Umbrellas serve not only as tear gas shields but also as cloaks. A shout of “It’s raining!” will prompt protesters to form a canopy of umbrellas to conceal what’s going on underneath them — especially the building of barricades using metal road barriers.
They also make efforts to resist surveillance. Security cameras are spray-painted black, obscured by umbrellas or covered with tape. As for cameras out of reach, protesters point bright lasers at them to distort their footage.
“I really am scared of possibly being punished,” said Mary Leung, a 21-year-old who wore a mask. “The police are unpredictable. But I’m so moved by how everyone is supporting each other.”
Leung said she had not expected so many different groups of people, especially older residents, to support the movement.
The rallies, which generally begin in the afternoon and stretch past midnight, entangle the communities that host them. While some restaurants and shops close early, others offer free water and shelter. On Sunday evening, hundreds of cars and buses were temporarily at a standstill when protesters blocked roads leading to a major cross-harbor tunnel.
One of the drivers stuck in the traffic jam was actor Gregory Wong, who was unfazed by the disruption.
“No one is honking their horns,” Wong said. “Everyone knows what’s going on. We’re in full support of it.”
Bystanders were less forgiving when tear gas enveloped Causeway Bay, the luxury retail area where pedestrians suddenly found themselves choking on air.
Police used continuous rounds of tear gas to beat back most of the crowd, but some protesters resisted by throwing the canisters back at officers and flinging eggs and other objects. Some jeered “Gangsters!” at the police.