- Title: Tens of thousands of Hong Kong protesters plead for U.S. help
- Date: 14th October 2019
- Summary: HONG KONG, CHINA (OCTOBER 14, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF LARGE GROUP OF PROTESTERS GATHERING AT CHATER GARDEN, PEOPLE HOLDING UP PHONES LIGHTS SIGN READING (English): "FREE HK" PEOPLE GATHERING, WAVING U.S. FLAG VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WAVING U.S. FLAGS (SOUNDBITE) (English) HONG KONG DEMONSTRATOR, ARTHOR CHAN, 35, SAYING: "We're here today to support the democracy and human rights act. We wish that the people of the United States and the senators of the U.S. congress, they can support and support us and pass the bill because we really need it. We're in a, Hong Kong is currently in a chaotic situation. We want to show the world that the protesters are actually peaceful and we fight for freedom and democracy. Please support Hong Kong." VIEW OF HONG KONG CITY / CROWDS SPILLING ONTO ROAD FROM CHATER GARDEN, BUSES DRIVING PAST CROWDS WAVING PHONE LIGHTS PEOPLE GATHERING PEOPLE SPEAKING ON STAGE
- Embargoed: 28th October 2019 14:50
- Keywords: Hong Kong China demonstration Hong Kong human rights act Admiralty district United States
- Location: HONG KONG, CHINA
- City: HONG KONG, CHINA
- Country: Hong Kong
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001B12HU13
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Tens of thousands of mostly young pro-democracy activists rallied in Hong Kong on Monday (October 14) in the first legal protest since the introduction of colonial-era emergency laws and pleaded for help from the United States.
The crowd gathered peacefully near central government offices in the Admiralty district urging the United States to pass a Hong Kong human rights act to ensure democracy for the former British colony, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
Some protesters waved the U.S. flag and carried posters reading "We Want Democracy" and "Free HK".
The bill supports human rights in Hong Kong with measures under consideration such as annual reviews of its special economic status and sanctions on those who undermine its autonomy. The text will not be finalised until it passes both houses of Congress and is signed by the president.
The protesters are angry at what they see as Beijing's tightening grip on the city which was guaranteed 50 years of freedoms under the "one country, two systems" formula under which it returned to China. Beijing rejects the charge and accuses Western countries, especially the United States and Britain, of stirring up trouble.
(Production: Joyce Zhou, Ronn Bautista, Juarawee Kittisilpa) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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