- Title: 'We didn't forget about them': Hong Kongers pen Christmas cards to protesters
- Date: 17th December 2019
- Summary: HONG KONG, CHINA (DECEMBER 16, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE PASSING BY CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS ON STREET VARIOUS OF 35-YEAR-OLD HONG KONG RESIDENT, FELIX WONG, WRITING CHRISTMAS CARD TO DETAINED PROTESTERS WONG PUTTING CARD INTO BOX (SOUNDBITE) (English) 35-YEAR-OLD HONG KONG RESIDENT, FELIX WONG, SAYING: "I don't even want to celebrate because so many people are seriously injured. Even they are in detention, we want to give message to them. They cannot celebrate. They are maybe beaten by police seriously and cannot see the doctor and they are not allowed to be sent to hospital. That's what I know." VOLUNTEERS GIVING CHRISTMAS CARDS TO RESIDENTS BANNER OF WRITING CHRISTMAS CARDS TO PROTESTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) 35-YEAR-OLD HONG KONG RESIDENT, FELIX WONG, SAYING: "So, in a card I just wanted to tell all the people who still in detention, or even, I don't know where exactly where they are right now, but those people cannot celebrate the festival with their family and friends. We didn't forget about them. We're not partying just happily. We are going to celebrate later, not now, but we will fight for them. We will wait for them." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WRITING CARDS VARIOUS OF 23-YEAR-OLD HONG KONG VOLUNTEER, PEKO, GATHERING CHRISTMAS CARDS (SOUNDBITE) (Cantonese) 23-YEAR-OLD HONG KONG VOLUNTEER, PEKO, SAYING: "We really want to let them know that we would never discard them like condoms, we really want to let them know that we all want to celebrate Christmas with them. Although this Christmas we are not going to be happy, but we are grateful that we feel we are not alone in Hong and we went through everything together, stand with each other together. Even if some of them have already gone to heaven, I hope they can receive our message. Although we can't wish them Merry Christmas in person, we will be here waiting for them. We will keep the promise at the legislative council and hope they can witness our success. Glory to Hong Kong, peace to your fellow brothers and sisters." HONG KONG, CHINA (DECEMBER 15, 2019) (REUTERS) HONG KONG PROTESTERS GATHERING AT SHOPPING MALL AND MAKING HUMAN CHAIN VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING AND PASSING BY CHRISTMAS TREE HONG KONG, CHINA (DECEMBER 13, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE PICKING UP CHRISTMAS CARDS FOR PROTESTERS PEOPLE STANDING NEXT TO CHRISTMAS CARDS BOOTH AND WATCHING PREVIOUS PROTEST VIDEO PEOPLE WATCHING PREVIOUS PROTEST VIDEO VARIOUS OF WOMAN CRYING HONG KONG, CHINA (DECEMBER 14, 2019) (REUTERS) PEOPLE AT CHRISTMAS CARDS BOOTH CHRISTMAS CARDS ON TABLE GIRL WRITING CHRISTMAS CARD (SOUNDBITE) (Cantonese) 52-YEAR-OLD HOUSEWIFE, BONNIE LOCK, SAYING: "As Christmas and Chinese New Year approaches, I want to show some support, to let them know that we, the peaceful protesters and Hong Kong citizens, miss them very much. We hope they can feel some warmth and won't (feel) that lonely." HONG KONG, CHINA (DECEMBER 12, 2019) (REUTERS) HONG KONG PROTESTERS GATHERING AT EDINBURGH PLACE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS AT RALLY/ LETTER READING (English): "DEMOCRACY NOW" FATHER CHRISTMAS DOLL AT RALLY
- Embargoed: 31st December 2019 06:49
- Keywords: China Christmas card Hong Kong demostrations detained jail pro-democracy protesters
- Location: HONG KONG, CHINA
- City: HONG KONG, CHINA
- Country: Hong Kong
- Topics: Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001BAD4CAV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Hong Kong residents gathered all over the city to write Christmas cards to injured and protesters still in detention during their weekend and lunch hours as demonstrations grind on through the holiday season.
"I don't even want to celebrate because so many people are seriously injured," said Felix Wong, 35, choking up in tears before she could finish her sentence. Wong was one of a dozen office workers and residents who dropped by a central shopping area to drop off Christmas cards.
Volunteers in black masks and baseball caps collected them in boxes as tourists walked by, passing shop windows decorated with gingerbread houses and boxes of Christmas presents wrapped in colourful tinsel.
A line of people were seen waiting at the entrance of the Mong Kok station to drop off their holiday cards at a booth manned by volunteers and equipped with screens showing looped videos of violent clashes with police.
Hong Kong has been embroiled in more than six months of anti-government protests which show no sign of abating. Police have arrested 6,060 people since the unrest began, with the age from 11 to 84-years old, according to police, which does not make public how many are being held in detention. Protesters are angry about what they see as an encroachment by China on wide ranging autonomy Hong Kong was guaranteed under a "one country, two systems" framework which governs the former British colony.
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