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 by Staff Writers Beijing (AFP) July 29, 2019
After weeks of increasingly violent protests, China's top policy body on Hong Kong affairs was set to hold an extremely rare press briefing Monday on the crisis engulfing the financial hub, where dozens of protesters were arrested in weekend clashes with police. What began as a mass display of opposition to an extradition bill two months ago has morphed into a wider pro-democracy movement that has thrown down the most significant challenge to Beijing's authority since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. While China has issued increasingly shrill condemnations of the protests in the last two weeks, it has largely left the city's pro-Beijing administration to deal with the situation. So Monday's highly unusual press briefing in Beijing by the cabinet-level Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office will be closely watched for any hint of more direct intervention. In an editorial on Monday, the state-run China Daily newspaper signalled the growing concern in Beijing. "What is happening in Hong Kong is no longer the airing of real or imagined grievances," the editorial said. "It is of the same hue as the colour revolutions that were instigated in the Middle East and North Africa - local anti-government elements colluding with external forces to topple governments utilising modern communication technology to spread rumours, distrust and fear." - Another weekend of violence - Pro-democracy protesters fought a second consecutive day of running battles with police on Sunday evening in a well-heeled residential district of Hong Kong, in some of the most sustained scenes of violence witnessed so far. The clashes took place close to the Liaison Office, which represents Beijing in the semi-autonomous territory. In a statement early Monday, police said 49 "radical protesters" had been arrested for a variety of offences on Sunday saying the crowds were getting "increasingly violent". Police said protesters hurled bricks, bottles, paint bombs, corrosive liquids and used a crossbow to fire metal ball bearings. Bows and arrows were also later recovered from the scene, the force said. Sustained volleys of tear gas and rubber bullets arced through the air to clear the streets with elite units known as "Raptor" squads arresting those left behind, almost all of them young men and women. Medical authorities early Monday said 16 people were injured. Sunday's violence came a day after police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters holding a banned rally against suspected pro-government triad gangs in a town near the border with mainland China. The gangs had beaten up democracy demonstrators there the previous weekend. Police made 13 arrests that day while hospital authorities said a total of 24 people were hurt, two seriously. - Unprecedented anger - Despite facing unprecedented levels of public anger and frustration that has seen millions take to the streets, the city's pro-Beijing leadership have appeared unable, or unwilling, to end the chaos. The demonstrations were triggered by a bill -- now suspended -- that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China, but have evolved into a call for wider democratic reforms and a halt to eroding freedoms. In a direct challenge to Beijing, the protestors have seized opportunities to target and deface symbols of China's sovereignty over Hong Kong. Pro-democracy lawmaker Claudia Mo said the city was now trapped in a "vicious cycle" where huge peaceful marches that have been ignored by the government end with violence between police and small groups of hardcore protesters. "You see force being escalated on both sides. But then this is a huge imbalance because the police are in possession of deadly weapons. This sums up Hong Kong today," she told AFP. - Battle for Yuen Long - Public anger reached new levels a week ago when a pro-government mob of men wearing white shirts and armed with sticks attacked protesters in Yuen Long, in Hong Kong's rural New Territories where many of the surrounding villages are known for triad gang connections and their staunch support for the pro-Beijing establishment. That brazen assault left at least 45 people taken to hospital, and police were heavily criticised for being too slow to respond with some pro-democracy activists accusing the force of colluding with the triads. In a rare move, police banned Saturday's counter-rally, saying they feared reprisal attacks against villagers from protesters. They also banned a proposed march on Sunday. But on both days protesters simply ignored the orders.
Tear gas, rubber bullets fired at Hong Kong protesters for 2nd day As the unauthorized protest occurred, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office -- China's top policy unit for the two cities -- said in an unusual move that it would hold a press conference Monday afternoon in Beijing. Hong Kong, a global financial hub, is reeling from weeks of anti-government protests that show no sign of abating. Sunday's melees took place in a well-heeled residential district close to the Liaison Office, which represents Beijing in the semi-autonomous territory. Police and protesters had been engaged in a standoff for hours after tens of thousands of demonstrators held a series of unsanctioned marches through the city. A group of about 200 protesters had made their way towards the Liaison Office where they met a phalanx of riot police who used loudhailers calling for the crowds to end their "illegal assembly". Eventually, tear gas and rubber bullets were fired at demonstrators who responded with volleys of bricks and stones as baton-wielding riot police pushed the crowds back in some of the most sustained and violent clashes seen during seven weeks of protest. Specially-trained riot squad members, known as "Raptor" squads, made dozens of arrests, almost all of them young men and women. Several protesters were injured, as well as two journalists. The clashes ended around 11:30 pm (1530 GMT) when protesters made a hasty and coordinated retreat into nearby subway stations. Last week, they had pelted the Liaison Office with eggs and paint. "Some radical protesters acted violently," threatening the safety of police and the public, the Hong Kong government said in a statement early Monday. Sunday's violence came a day after police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters holding a banned rally against suspected pro-government triad gangs in a town near the border with mainland China. The gangs had beaten up democracy demonstrators there the previous weekend. - Unprecedented anger - Despite facing unprecedented levels of public anger and frustration that has seen millions take to the streets, the city's pro-Beijing leadership are seemingly unable, or unwilling, to end the chaos. Beijing's authority in the city of seven million is facing its most serious test since Britain handed it back to China in 1997 under a deal that allowed Hong Kongers to keep liberties including an independent judiciary and freedom of speech. The demonstrations were triggered by a bill -- now suspended -- that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China, but have evolved into a call for wider democratic reforms and a halt to sliding freedoms. Beijing has issued increasingly shrill condemnations in the last two weeks but has left the city's government to deal with the situation. Pro-democracy lawmaker Claudia Mo said the city was now trapped in a "vicious cycle" where huge peaceful marches that have been ignored by the government end with violence between police and small groups of hardcore protesters. "You see force being escalated on both sides. But then this is a huge imbalance because the police are in possession of deadly weapons. This sums up Hong Kong today," she told AFP. - Battle for Yuen Long - Public anger reached new levels a week ago when a pro-government mob of men wearing white shirts and armed with sticks attacked protesters in Yuen Long, in Hong Kong's rural New Territories where many of the surrounding villages are known for triad gang connections and their staunch support for the pro-Beijing establishment. That brazen assault left at least 45 people taken to hospital, and police were heavily criticised for being too slow to respond. In a rare move, police banned Saturday's rally saying they feared reprisal attacks against villagers from protesters. They also banned a proposed march on Sunday. But on both days protesters simply ignored the orders. On Saturday, small groups of more hardcore protesters, many in helmets and carrying shields, confronted police outside the villages and accused them of protecting triads. Tensions quickly rose, leading to running battles between officers and protesters. Police said they responded with "appropriate force" including rubber bullets, while at least four officers were injured. Police made 13 arrests Saturday and hospital authorities said a total of 24 people were hurt, two seriously.
Hong Kong protesters egg China office at end of massive rally Hong Kong (AFP) July 21, 2019 Masked protesters daubed the walls of China's office in Hong Kong with eggs and graffiti Sunday night following another massive rally, focusing anger towards the embodiment of Beijing's rule with no end in sight to the turmoil engulfing the finance hub. The city has been plunged into its worst crisis in recent history by weeks of marches and sporadic violent confrontations between police and pockets of hardcore protesters. The initial protests were lit by a now-suspended bill that would have all ... read more
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