- Title: Meet the people in Hong Kong's protest movement
- Date: 17th August 2019
- Summary: HONG KONG, CHINA (RECENT - AUGUST 10, 2019) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** POLICE FIRING TEAR GAS FROM BEHIND SHIELDS PROTESTER PICKING UP TEAR GAS CANISTER AND THROWING BACK AT POLICE POLICE RETREATING AS PROTESTERS MARCH FORWARD POLICE OFFICER ON GUARD PROTESTERS GATHERED / MAN SHOUTING (Cantonese) AT POLICE BEFORE WALKING AWAY: "I am out here shopping, come and get me!" (SOUNDBITE) (Cantonese) OFFICE ASSISTANT AT HOSPITAL, LEWIS, SAYING: "When we wanted to march, the government issued an objection letter, then when we actually came out they started arresting people and using force excessively, like what just happened, they have been constantly firing tear gas. Those people walking on the street or children staying outside have been seriously affected by this inappropriate treatment too." POLICE ARRESTING WOMAN POLICE PUTTING WOMAN IN VAN BANNER HANGING ON FOOTBRIDGE READING (Chinese): "RECOVER HONG KONG, REVOLUTION OF THE ERA" WOMAN PROTESTER SHOUTING (Cantonese): "You have to remember you need to hit (the police) as well, not just run" (SOUNDBITE) (Cantonese) STUDENT IN PSYCHOLOGY, SLAINE LAI, 22, SAYING: "I think the people who caused chaos in Hong Kong are not the protesters, or students or pan-democrat parties. Instead, it is the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) government that is causing the chaos in Hong Kong. They have been unwilling to listen to the protesters and the general public's demands since June. The people who have been causing chaos in Hong Kong are the Special Administrative Region (SAR) government." POLICE MARCHING AND FIRING TEAR GAS PROTESTERS RUNNING AMID SMOKE POLICE CHASING PROTESTERS POLICE MOVING THROUGH FENCES SET UP BY PROTESTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) STUDENT, WOODY HO, SAYING: "From the U.K. to China, President Jiang (Zemin) at the time promised us that we are going to have general elections for both our legislative council and the chief executive. But none of that was happening. Five years ago we did the same thing, asking for the same thing that we were promised. But then now, five years later not only that our promises are not fulfilled, they even put a China extradition bill which is even worse. And that is the reason why the entire thing started, and with the brutality of the police, everything is upgrading." PROTESTERS MARCHING WITH AMERICAN FLAGS
- Embargoed: 31st August 2019 03:38
- Keywords: Hong Kong protesters protests people extradition bill one country two system China autonomy vox pop
- Location: HONG KONG, CHINA
- City: HONG KONG, CHINA
- Country: Hong Kong
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA001ASVTFT3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:These are the protesters in Hong Kong: young, brave and fighting for what they say is the erosion of the "one country, two systems" arrangement enshrining some autonomy for Hong Kong when China took it back from Britain in 1997.
"From the UK to China, president Jiang (Zemin) at the time promised us that we are going to have general elections for both our legislative council and the chief executive. But none of that was happening... five years later not only that our promises are not fulfilled, they even put a China extradition bill which is even worse," said Woody Ho, a student.
The increasingly violent protests since June have plunged the Asian financial hub into its most serious crisis in decades and are one of the biggest popular challenges to Chinese leader Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012.
Despite the intense police response and a toughening stance from China, the movement that began two months ago in opposition to a bill allowing extradition to the mainland still seems to enjoy broad support in the city of more than 7 million people.
"I am at an older age, so I can't rush to the front line... what I can do is to back them, to support them," said a local citizen Helen, who was seen handing out bottled water to protesters while chanting "Go Hongkongers!" during a recent protest.
From singing the Christian hymn "Sing Hallelujah to the Lord", which has emerged as the unlikely anthem of the movement, to forming various support groups among themselves, protesters have created a well-developed system for providing supplies, aid and organising crowds.
"Hong Kong now is indeed in chaos, because the city is on the way towards democracy... I believe it would be a good day after the storm," said an unidentified aid worker. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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