- Title: Thousands march in Hong Kong against Beijing’s plans to reinterpret basic law
- Date: 6th November 2016
- Summary: HONG KONG, CHINA (NOVEMBER 6, 2016) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** PROTESTERS GATHERING IN PLAYGROUND PROTESTER WEARING BANNER READING (English): "HONG KONG IS NOT CHINA" (SOUNDBITE) (Cantonese) PRO-INDEPENDENCE LEGISLATURE, YAU WAI-CHING, SAYING: "The re-interpretation of the Basic Law does not coincide with the values that the Hong Kong people believe in. This isn't the way we normally do things. We hope we can express our feelings through this demonstration. We hope for more people to know what is happening here these days." PROTESTERS LEAVING PLAYGROUND AND HOLDING BANNERS PROTESTER HOLDING BANNER WITH FACE OF HONG KONG CHIEF EXECUTIVE LEUNG CHUN-YING, READING (Chinese): "THE GODFATHER OF HONG KONG DOGS" PAN DEMOCRAT LEGISLATURE, CLAUDIA MO, HOLDING PLACARD READING (English): "BEIJING: '1984' BIG BROTHER RAPE OF HONG KONG/ PROTESTERS MARCHING (SOUNDBITE) (English) PAN DEMOCRAT LEGISLATURE, CLAUDIA MO, SAYING: "Very few people in Hong Kong would actually endorse the rather juvenile behaviour of the two young legislators. But then, but then, they are properly elected, and they should have every constitutional right to retake their oaths. And they were prepared to do it properly, and that should have been the end of the saga. But then looks what's happening now-Beijing has been waiting for this excuse to show Hong Kong that we are the boss, we are the master." PROTESTERS MARCHING ALONG BARRICADES PROTESTER HOLDING PLACARD READING (Chinese): "OPPOSE THE NPC'S INTERPRETATION OF THE LAW" POLICE STANDING IN FRONT OF CORDONS /PROTESTERS BANNERS VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR AND PROTESTER, CORMAN CHEN, SAYING: "We also support and also try to protect our next generations. I think the legislation, I think this kind of process, is the last part that the Hong Kong people can protect. If this kind of protection collapses, then I think Hong Kong actually will exist no more." PROTESTERS MARCHING DEMOSISTO PARTY SECRETARY GENERAL AND PRO-DEMOCRACY ACTIVIST, JOSHUA WONG, SPEAKING INTO MICROPHONE EFFIGY OF LEUNG, HONG KONG OFFICIALS, AND NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS PROTESTERS ENTERING CENTRAL DISTRICT POLICE ALLOWING PROTESTERS TO PASS POLICE OFFICER SPEAKING INTO MICROPHONE AND TELLING PROTESTERS THEY ARE ACTING ILLEGALLY PROTESTERS MARCHING ONLOOKERS PROTESTERS MARCHING
- Embargoed: 21st November 2016 11:03
- Keywords: China Hong Kong protest march basic law reinterpret Beijing
- Location: HONG KONG, CHINA
- City: HONG KONG, CHINA
- Country: Hong Kong
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00157B28UD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Over ten thousand people marched on the streets of Hong Kong on Sunday (November 6) to protest Beijing's plans for the National People's Congress to reinterpret an article of Hong Kong's basic law.
Organisers said over 11,000 people attended the protest, but Reuters reporters at the scene concluded there could well be over 20,000.
The Hong Kong government confirmed that the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress would consider provisions of Hong Kong's Basic Law related to political allegiance this weekend, to try to end a crisis over a fledgling independence movement but raising fears among some of legal interference.
The move comes as the Hong Kong government tries to disqualify two newly elected legislators promoting independence from China.
Yau Wai-ching, 25, and Baggio Leung, 30, had their swearing-in oaths invalidated last month over language and a banner that was deemed derogatory to China.
Pro-democracy lawmaker Yau Wai-ching said protesters wanted to take the demonstration as a way to express feelings.
"The re-interpretation of the Basic Law does not coincide with the values that the Hong Kong people believe in. This isn't the way we normally do things. We hope we can express our feelings through this demonstration. We hope for more people to know what is happening here these days," said Yau.
Many protesters such as legislature Claudia Mo said they did not support Yau or Leung's political stance towards Hong Kong independence but were there to protest against Beijing's interference in Hong Kong affairs.
"Very few people in Hong Kong would actually endorse the rather juvenile behaviour of the two young legislators. But then, but then, they are properly elected, and they should have every constitutional right to retake their oaths. And they were prepared to do it properly, and that should have been the end of the saga. But then looks what's happening now-Beijing has been waiting for this excuse to show Hong Kong that we are the boss, we are the master," Mo said.
"We also support and also try to protect our next generations. I think the legislation, I think this kind of process, is the last part that the Hong Kong people can protect. If this kind of protection collapses, then I think Hong Kong actually will exist no more," said university professor Corman Chen.
The protest originally was supposed to stop at the High Court, which had been registered with authorities in accordance with Hong Kong law, however protesters soon began to march towards the Chinese government's liaison office.
Police warned protesters that marching beyond their original path of the High Court was "illegal" although they continued through Central by 1000 GMT despite heavy police presence. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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