- Title: Hong Kongers pour onto streets on mass to join anti-government rally
- Date: 18th August 2019
- Summary: HONG KONG, CHINA (AUGUST 18, 2019) (REUTERS) PEOPLE FILLING UP ROAD NEAR VICTORIA PARK (ON RIGHT) PEOPLE MARCHING AND HOLDING BANNER PEOPLE MARCHING AS IT STARTS RAINING, PEOPLE OPENING UP UMBRELLAS MAN WAVING HONG KONG FLAG AMONG CROWDS PEOPLE HOLDING SIGNS READING (Chinese): (LEFT SIGN) "WE ARE NOT THE TARGET!" / (RIGHT SIGN) "HONG KONG PEOPLE'S HEART NEVER DIES!" PEOPLE FILLING UP STREET NEXT TO VICTORIA PARK RAIN DROPS FALLING ON UMBRELLA VARIOUS OF PEOPLE HOLDING UMBRELLAS AND WALKING VARIOUS OF PEOPLE HOLDING BANNER AND MARCHING, CHANTING (Cantonese): "HONG KONG, FIGHT ON!" PEOPLE WALKING UNDER UMBRELLAS (SOUNDBITE) (English) 17-YEAR-OLD HONG KONG PROTESTER, ETON LAW, SAYING: "If all the way, all the peaceful way is not answered by the government, I'm afraid that more of our force, more of our protester may go more of out of way, above our ways, to let, to force the government to answer our request." FEET WALKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) 30-YEAR-OLD HONG KONG PROTESTER, KATY CHAN, SAYING: "I think before accusing protesters for anything, try to look at the real problem and how the government turning, how they turned a blind eye to us and to our demands. This is the real problem, the source of the problem. We're trying to solve the problem but they're trying to solve, they're trying to attack us or trying to just turn a blind eye to us and it doesn't help. We're just trying to fight for what we already have; what Hong Kong is. We just want Hong Kong to stay Hong Kong, we're not demanding for something else or something extra." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS OPENING UP PATH FOR AMBULANCE TO PASS PEOPLE STANDING VARIOUS OF PEOPLE HOLDING UMBRELLAS SIGN AMONG UMBRELLAS READING (English): "FREE HONG KONG" VARIOUS OF PEOPLE FILLING UP ROADS IN CAUSEWAY BAY
- Embargoed: 1st September 2019 11:33
- Keywords: law rain China rally umbrellas march extradition bill protesters Hong Kong
- Location: HONG KONG, CHINA
- City: HONG KONG, CHINA
- Country: Hong Kong
- Topics: Fundamental Rights/Civil Liberties,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001ASQTNWN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: At least 100,000 protesters poured into one of Hong Kong's busiest shopping districts on Sunday (August 18), braving a downpour to join an anti-government rally in the eleventh week of what have been often violent demonstrations in the Asian financial hub.
Some protesters said that before blaming the protesters for violence, people should take a look at the government's actions and how they are 'turning a blind eye' to their demands.
Anger over a now-suspended bill that would allow criminal suspects in Hong Kong to be extradited to mainland China erupted in June, but the rising unrest has been fuelled by broader worries about the erosion of freedoms guaranteed under the "one country, two systems" formula put in place after Hong Kong's return from British to Chinese rule in 1997.
Gathered in Victoria Park at the start of the rally, protesters held aloft placards with slogans including "Free Hong Kong!" and "Democracy now!," and umbrellas to shield them from the rain. The crowd was peaceful and included the elderly, the middle aged, young people and families, with some parents carrying toddlers.
(Production: Ronn Bautista, Xihao Jiang, Juarawee Kittisilpa) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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