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Police in Hong Kong arrest more than 500 protesters after a massive pro-democracy rally
Reuters - July 2, 2014
Organisers say 500,000 people took part in the march through Hong Kong's central business district to demand electoral freedoms from China. Afterwards, they vowed to remain overnight to 'occupy' a street in the city's financial district.
More than 1,000 protesters linked arms to resist efforts to remove them but hundreds of Hong Kong police took away the kicking and screaming protestors one by one and bundled them onto buses. "I have the right to protest. We don't need police permission," the crowd chanted.
Tuesday's massive protest on the public holiday to mark the 17th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China was to demonstrate against Beijing's plans for the former British colony.
One protester, Edward Fung says protesters want a greater say in electing the next chief executive.
"We are here, all of us here to fight for democracy, fight for universal suffrage," he said. "We are all here to have the right to vote for whoever we'd like to rule Hong Kong to have the betterment of Hong Kong, to make Hong Kong improve."
Some protesters remained defiant even after their arrest. "Civil disobedience is not a one-time matter. I will come out to protest again, because it is the only way Hong Kong can change," said To Chun Ho, who was released on Wednesday without charge.
The arrested protesters were taken in buses to the police training school in Hong Kong. Some were charged with participating in an unauthorised assembly and obstructing police. About 50 were released without charge but it was unclear how long the others would be detained.
"Our purpose is first universal suffrage and second to let the government respond to Hong Kong citizens' voice for democracy," said Frank Chio, a representative of the Hong Kong Federation of Students. "This is only step one. There will be other steps."
Protesters plan more demonstrations
In one of the first moves of what is expected to be a hot political summer, the demonstrators were demanding greater democracy in elections for Hong Kong's leader, or chief executive, in 2017.
They want nominations to be open to everyone. China's leaders want to ensure only pro-Beijing candidates are on the ballot.
Hong Kong returned to China with wide-ranging autonomy under the formula of "one country, two systems", allowing protests such as Tuesday's march to take place.
But China bristles at open dissent, especially over sensitive matters such as demands for universal suffrage and the annual June 4 vigil in Hong Kong to mark the crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Beijing in 1989. Elsewhere in China, such protests – even by one or two people – would be met by stern punishment.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying says his government will do its "utmost" to move towards universal suffrage and stressed the need for stability. Beijing's Liaison Office in Hong Kong says China "firmly supports" universal suffrage for Hong Kong, and "its sincerity and determination is unswerving".
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