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POLICE FIRED TEAR gas and water cannon at thousands of Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters who gathered today against a controversial security law proposed by China, in the most intense clashes for months.
As the demonstrators and police were facing off in the semi-autonomous financial hub, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi insisted in Beijing that the proposed law must be imposed “without the slightest delay”.
The planned legislation — expected to ban treason, subversion and sedition — comes after Hong Kong was shaken last year by months of massive, often-violent protests, and repeated warnings from Beijing that it would not tolerate dissent.
With campaigners warning the proposal could spell the end of the city’s treasured freedoms, thousands gathered and chanted slogans in the busy Causeway Bay and Wan Chai districts, while some masked protesters set up makeshift barricades to stop police vehicles.
“People may be criminalised only for words they say or publish opposing the government,” 25-year-old protester Vincent told AFP.
“I think Hong Kongers are very frustrated because we didn’t expect this to come so fast and so rough. But we won’t be as naive as to believe that Beijing will simply sit back and do nothing. Things will only get worse here.”
Riot police were deployed after protesters ignored earlier warnings from authorities against unauthorised assembly and violated the city’s current coronavirus-linked law banning public gatherings of more than eight people.
As the number of protesters swelled, police fired tear gas and pepper spray to try and disperse the crowd, and later deployed water cannon and armoured vehicles against pockets of protesters.
At least 120 people were arrested, police said, as attempts to clear the roads in the area continued into the evening.
The Hong Kong government condemned the “extremely violent and illegal acts” of the protesters and said they reinforced “the need and urgency of the legislation on national security”.
It also accused protesters of injuring at least four police officers.
The scenes today were the most intense in months.
The Hong Kong pro-democracy movement had fizzled at the beginning of 2020 as arrests mounted and, later, large gatherings were banned to stop the coronavirus.
More than 8,300 people have been arrested since the protests erupted last year.
Hong Kong residents enjoy rights — including freedom of speech — unseen on the Chinese mainland, as well as its own legal system and trade status.
Fears had been growing for years that Beijing was chipping away at those freedoms and tightening its control on the city, and campaigners have described the new proposal as the most brazen move yet.
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Strikes me as a little odd reporting sentences as a combination. It’s as if article is attempting to make their punishment out to be more severe than it actually is.
When you consider the fact that prisoners very often only serve about half of their sentences the headline might be more accurately written as
“Three brothers will spend roughly 3-4 years each in prison after string of robberies”
@Derek Murphy: and after effectively ensuring that severall sma towns and villages will no longer have ATMs.
Irish Judges: robbing banks?? 20 years!!
Also Irish Judges: se.x.ually assualted your own kids for a decade? Meh.. 5 years. Out in 3.
@Rob Gale: It’s actually 20 years combined.
@Hannah: They gave someone 30 years for kidnapping a wealthy business man. But do it to a child for their whole life and you get a suspended sentence. It’s shocking really. If we can give large sentences like that for these crimes how can they justify not giving them for child abuse?
@Rob Gale: neither sentence is anywhere near enough, joke
We seriously need more prison spaces in this country.
@Chris Mc: why not export our prisoners to countries willing to take them. Who says they have to be imprisoned here ? The cost of a prisoner per year in ireland is easily in excess of 100k. Put that out to tender. The Chinese might house them for 10k per year. Going to prison might not be seen as so cushy then…..
Bit of a joke headline – 20 year combined. That means nothing – the two longest sentences were 8 yrs 9 months, with one year suspended. That means about 5 years and 10 months with remission! Very dishonest journalism!
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