- Title: Hong Kong teachers rally in thunderstorm at start of weekend of protests
- Date: 17th August 2019
- Summary: HONG KONG, CHINA (AUGUST 17, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TEACHERS GATHERING AT CHARTER GARDEN WITH UMBRELLAS IN RAN TEACHERS HOLING UMBRELLAS AND SIGNS VICE PRESIDENT OF HONG KONG TEACHER'S PROFESSIONAL UNION, IP KIN YUEN, SPEAKING ON STAGE SIGN READING (Chinese): "Safeguard next generation, conscience" (SOUNDBITE) (English) VICE PRESIDENT OF HONG KONG TEACHER'S PROFESSIONAL UNION, IP KIN YUEN, SAYING: "I think the teachers are angry because the government is doing a lot, is making a lot of mistakes, including, they are treating the next generation badly, no matter if it's suppressing the protest using excessive forces and also the whole thing, the extradition bill is a mistake." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE CARRYING UMBRELLAS AND PLACARDS AND CROSSING ROAD TO START MARCH POLICEMEN STANDING RAIN DROPS ON UMBRELLAS PEOPLE CARRYING PLACARDS MARCHING (SOUNDBITE) (English) 61-YEAR-OLD RETIRED SCHOOL TEACHER, ALEX TANG CP, SAYING: "I become more and more angry on the government. They didn't say anything to solve the problem, they just withdraw and just put oil on fire. And they didn't look at our youths, they are hurt, they are at the front with so much violence on them by the police. And the government, especially, Carrie Lam, she, didn't say anything on this." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE MARCHING LITTLE GIRL HOLDING PLACARD AND MARCHING (SOUNDBITE) (English) HONG KONG TEACHER, POON, SAYING: "I'm very worried about their physical safety because now the police seems to be beating people indiscriminately, which as a Hong Kong citizen, I think is hard to accept." SIGN READING (English and Chinese): "We are Hong Kong Teachers" (SOUNDBITE) (English) HONG KONG TEACHER, JOANNE, SAYING: "I can't really stand seeing them standing at the frontline, saving our city for us. I think that's not safe. That's not fair, they are just students." POLICEMEN WATCHING MARCH POLICE STANDING IN FRONT OF GOVERNMENT HOUSE BUILDING AS TEACHERS MARCH PEOPLE WALKING PAST SIGN READING (English and Chinese): "CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICE MAIN WING" VARIOUS PEOPLE PROTESTING AND HOLDING PLACARDS
- Embargoed: 31st August 2019 09:13
- Keywords: law autonomous protester China democracy protests extradition bill Hong Kong teachers
- Location: HONG KONG, CHINA
- City: HONG KONG, CHINA
- Country: Hong Kong
- Topics: Fundamental Rights/Civil Liberties,Government/Politics,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA001ASLTXL3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Several thousand Hong Kong school teachers and supporters braved thunderstorms on Saturday (August 17) to start a weekend of anti-government demonstrations, despite fears that police could adopt tougher tactics to drive activists off the streets.
Demonstrators say they are fighting the erosion of the "one country, two systems" arrangement that enshrined some autonomy for Hong Kong since China took it back from Britain in 1997.
During the past week they have increasingly directed their frustrations toward police, who have responded with fiercer determination to clear them from the streets.
The teachers rally was approved by police and was peaceful. After gathering in the Central business district, they marched on the Government House residence of Hong Kong's embattled leader Carrie Lam, chanting "Hong Kong police know the law, they break the law". Anti-government demonstrators were also expected to march through Kowloon districts popular with traders and tourists from mainland China.
(Production: James Redmayne, Xihao Jiang, Juarawee Kittisilpa) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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