- Title: Timeline of Hong Kong political movements
- Date: 16th August 2019
- Summary: China's legislature, the National People's Congress, declared on Aug. 31, 2014, that any candidate for Hong Kong's leader would have to get majority backing from an election committee stacked with pro-Beijing loyalists, as well as imposing other conditions that some in the city's opposition deemed "fake, China-style democracy". The nomination conditions effectively made it impossible for opposition figures to get on the ballot and proved a trigger for the 2014 protests, also known as the Umbrella Revolution after the umbrellas protesters used to fend off police pepper spray, tear gas and batons. The 79-day "Occupy Central" street demonstrations crippled parts of Hong Kong and were one of the boldest populist challenges to Beijing's Communist Party leaders in decades. HONG KONG, CHINA (FILE - SEPTEMBER 26, 2014) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** POLICE IN FRONT OF FENCE STUDENT LEADER JOSHUA WONG BEING TAKEN AWAY BY POLICE HONG KONG, CHINA (FILE - SEPTEMBER 27, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF POLICEMEN WALKING TO GATE VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS BEHIND GATE, SHOUTING (Cantonese): "POLICE, LEAVE" VARIOUS OF POLICEMEN CARRYING PROTESTER AWAY HONG KONG, CHINA (FILE - SEPTEMBER 28, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TEAR GAS BEING THROWN AT PROTESTERS, PROTESTERS RUNNING AWAY PROTESTERS POINTING AND SHOUTING AT POLICE RIOT POLICE STANDING ALONG FENCE POLICE HOLDING SIGN READING (Chinese/English): "WARNING TEAR SMOKE" VARIOUS OF PEOPLE RUNNING AWAY FROM TEAR GAS Hong Kong's legislature vetoed the China-vetted electoral reform package that had been criticized by opposition pro-democracy lawmakers and activists as flawed and undemocratic on June 18, 2015. HONG KONG, CHINA (FILE - JUNE 18, 2015) (REUTERS) HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TV DISPLAY READING "VOTING IN PROGRESS/ 8-FOR 28-AGAINST PRO DEMOCRACY LAWMAKERS UNFOLDING BANNER IN CHAMBER BANNER READING (Chinese): "RESTART THE REFORM PROCESS. PROTECT HONG KONG. FIGHT FOR GENUINE UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE. NEVER GIVE UP" Shortly after the elections, two pro-independence lawmakers, Yau Wai-ching, 25 and Baggio Leung, 30, were barred from entering the chamber after their swearing-in oaths were invalidated over language and a banner that was deemed derogatory to China. The pair were taken to court by a government-led judicial review to strip them of their position. HONG KONG, CHINA (FILE - OCTOBER 26, 2016) (REUTERS) PRO-INDEPENDENCE LAWMAKERS BAGGIO LEUNG AND YAU WAI CHING SURROUNDED BY REPORTERS YAU SITTING
- Embargoed: 30th August 2019 12:37
- Keywords: extradition China Occupy protests handover one country Hong Kong two systems Umbrella
- Location: HONG KONG/SHENZHEN, GUANGDONG PROVINCE/BEIJING, CHINA
- City: HONG KONG/SHENZHEN, GUANGDONG PROVINCE/BEIJING, CHINA
- Country: Hong Kong
- Topics: Lawmaking,Government/Politics,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA007ASHI98L
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Ten weeks of confrontations between police and protesters have plunged Hong Kong into turmoil, and present the biggest popular challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012.
The protests began as opposition to a now-suspended bill that would have allowed suspects to be extradited to mainland China and have swelled into wider calls for democracy.
Hong Kong returned from British to Chinese rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula that promised wide-ranging freedoms denied to citizens in mainland China, but many in the city believe Beijing has been eroding those freedoms.
More mass demonstrations are expected through the weekend (August 17-18).
(Production: James Redmayne, Phyllis Xu, Travis Teo) - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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