HONG KONG // Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Hong Kong on Friday to mark the 19th anniversary of the end of British rule and to protest against China’s tightening grip on the former British colony.
Tensions on the island and surrounding territories are at an all-time high following the arrest and detention in mainland China of a Hong Kong bookseller.
Lam Wing-kee, 61 was one of five people working for a Hong Kong firm that published salacious titles about leading Chinese politicians. He disappeared last year and resurfaced on the Chinese mainland where he was detained for months. He subsequently published an account of his time in Chinese custody.
Under the terms of the 1997 handover, Hong Kong remains semi-autonomous in a “one country, two systems” deal which guarantees personal freedoms for 50 years. But Mr Lam’s experience has left many fearful that Beijing intends to crack down on Hong Kong much sooner. Friends of the bookseller said he had been followed in recent days.
“He had observed that he had been followed by strangers in the last two days. He got greatly annoyed about his personal safety so he decided not to come to the march,” said pro-democracy politician Albert Ho.“Mr Lam has reason to be scared that this may be people from the mainland.”
During the march, protesters chanted, “We want to choose our own government” and waved yellow umbrellas — a symbol of the pro-democracy movement. Last year it brought the city to a standstill for months but did not achieve political reforms. The movement wants independence from Cina or at the very least, more autonomy for Hong Kong.
Organisers said 110,000 had taken part in the demonstration while police put attendance at a more modest 19,300. A second demonstration planned to take place at China’s representative office in the city was halted due to a heavy police presence.
* Agence France Presse
