- Title: Hong Kong fireworks, horse races abandoned amid protest threat
- Date: 18th September 2019
- Summary: HONG KONG, CHINA (FILE - OCTOBER 1, 2018) (REUTERS) (NIGHT SHOTS) VARIOUS FIREWORKS DISPLAY AT VICTORIA HARBOUR PEOPLE LOOKING ON VARIOUS FIREWORKS DISPLAY AT VICTORIA HARBOUR
- Embargoed: 2nd October 2019 13:43
- Keywords: Hong Kong protests pro-Beijing confrontation pro-democracy Jockey club fireworks
- Location: HONG KONG, CHINA/ INTERNET
- City: HONG KONG, CHINA/ INTERNET
- Country: Hong Kong
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA001AX6N6TJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The Hong Kong government cancelled China's national day fireworks for Wednesday (September 18), citing concerns over 'public safety'.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club also cancelled all races planned for the day after pro-democracy protesters said they would target the Happy Valley racecourse where a horse part-owned by a pro-China lawmaker was due to run.
A horse called Hong Kong Bet that had been due to run in the evening programme is part-owned by lawmaker Junius Ho, who has taken a firm line on the protesters, calling them "black-shirted thugs".
Later on Wednesday, the government issued a statement saying the National Day fireworks on October 1 had also been called off. The last time October 1 fireworks were cancelled was during the 2014 Umbrella movement pro-democracy protests which gridlocked parts of the city for 79 days.
A Hong Kong resident said the cancellation showed sign that the government was 'intimidated' by the sometimes violent protests that has continued for more than three months.
The spark for the latest protests in June was planned legislation, now withdrawn, that would have allowed people to be sent to mainland China for trial. But they have since broadened into calls for universal suffrage.
(Production: Tommy Ardiansyah, Zaw Naing Oo, Martin Pollard, Angie Teo) - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
