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RIOT POLICE IN Hong Kong fired tear gas and water cannons at pro-democracy protesters hurling rocks and petrol bombs today, tipping the city back into chaos after a brief pause in clashes.
Tens of thousands of people defied authorities to march through the streets of the city in an unsanctioned rally today.
The rally turned violent when small groups of hardcore activists – known within the movement as the “braves” – tried to attack the city’s main government complex.
Police fired repeated volleys of tear gas and deployed water cannon trucks after Molotov cocktails and rocks were thrown over security barriers surrounding the complex, which has become a frequent flashpoint in the ongoing protests.
The clashes ended a relative lull in recent days in the intensity of skirmishes between police and protesters.
Hong Kong has faced weeks of huge, sometimes violent rallies calling for greater democratic freedoms and police accountability.
The movement is the biggest challenge to China’s rule since the city was handed back by Britain in 1997 and shows no sign of ending, with local leaders and Beijing taking a hard line.
Under a deal signed with Britain ahead of the handover, Hong Kong is allowed to keep its unique freedoms for 50 years.
Democracy activists have accused Beijing of reneging on those promises by tightening political control over the semi-autonomous territory.
UK consulate protest
Earlier today, protesters rallied outside Britain’s consulate in Hong Kong, demanding London do more to protect its former colonial subjects and ramp up pressure on Beijing.
Hundreds of demonstrators sang “God Save the Queen” and “Rule Britannia” outside the consulate, waving the Union Jack as well as Hong Kong’s colonial-era flags.
Many of the protest signs accused Britain of not doing enough to confront Beijing over its tightening grip on the semi-autonomous city.
“Sino-British Joint Declaration is VOID,” one read, referencing the 1984 agreement that paved the way for the city’s handover, a deal that Hong Kong residents were given no say over.
“So far, I’m quite disappointed by the fact that the UK hasn’t done anything to support us,” protester Alex Leung, a recent graduate, told AFP.
Many called for anyone who wants to leave the city to be granted citizenship in Britain or other Commonwealth nations.
Some Hong Kongers were given British National Overseas passports before the handover, a document that allows holders easy travel to the UK but grants no working or residency rights.
“At least with the full citizenship, they can protect Hong Kong people from the Chinese government,” protester Anthony Chau, who holds a British National Overseas passport, told AFP.
Earlier this week, some 130 UK parliamentarians signed a joint letter calling for Britain and Commonwealth countries to come up with an “insurance policy” for Hong Kongers to resettle overseas should they wish to.
The protests were initially sparked by plans to allow extraditions to the authoritarian mainland, a move that promoted million to hit the streets.
As Beijing and local city leaders doubled down, the movement rapidly snowballed into a much wider anti-government movement.
The extradition bill has now been withdrawn.
But the pro-democracy movement has vowed to continue until key demands are met, including an inquiry into the police, an amnesty for those arrested and universal suffrage.
“We have a right to go to protests, to the streets, and we have to voice our demands to the government,” said a secondary school student at Sunday’s unsanctioned rally who gave his name as Alvin.
Both Lam and Beijing have shown little desire for making any further concessions.
Lam has said she is willing to hold a dialogue but protesters must abandon violence first.
But the movement is leaderless – a response to authorities prosecuting high-profile democracy figures from previous protests – making it difficult for Lam to know who to negotiate with.
Online message boards have filled with plans for new rallies and strikes in the coming weeks, fueled by two key anniversaries.
Twenty-eighth September is the fifth anniversary of the start of the failed pro-democracy Umbrella Movement protests while 1 October is the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China.
Sorry seems to be the hardest word goes the song,not in this kip though.
I find it hard to believe that there are still people in Galway Council that were active in the 70s-late 90s. Anybody in an institution that was involved with the deaths and unlawful dumping of babies can apologise away. If they were not involved with this institution then the apologies are empty. Where are those guilty of these atrocities? Those that were there and turned a blind eye? Hiding away, letting others apologise…
@Oliver Walker: I recently discovered that Politicians that are around since 1981 in Galway are still active today and include Mayors and Former TDS .
@Aine Healy: What do you mean ‘do your research’?… Have you seen the report? Have you read the article? Babies remains were dumped in septic tanks…
Big leap from that to abortion.
@Oliver Walker: please see my above reply in answer to your questions.
So, did you vote yes to legalising abortion that is responsible for the deaths of 7000 “invisible and voiceless” pre born human beings it it’s first year alone? Yes?
@Aine Healy: hold up, if they weren’t ‘dumped’ in there how do you think they got there? Crawled in themselves and died?
@Helen Downey: you should also do your research Helen. No babies were “dumped” in a “septic tank” by “the nuns” or anyone else. Notwithstanding the official report ( which I suggest that you actually read), where in the article above, does it state that babies were “dumped” in a “septic tank”?
It would appear that you are letting your ideological narrative get on the way of facts.
How about you Helen? Did your vote yes to the legalization of abortion which is responsible for the deaths of over 7000 Irish babies in its first year alone, most of whom actually did end up in the sewage system unlike the “Tuam babies” who did not?
@Aine Healy: I consider babies in a sewage system dumped. How else did they get there? You haven’t answered that I see.
@Helen Downey: you really should do your own homework rather than expecting others to do it for you. Why so lazy?
Again, your “consideration” does not facts make, although I acknowledge your considered opinion that aborted babies (those who are not incinerated) who end up in the sewage system as being “dumped”.
There is no written or oral documentation that evidences that babies or children who died in Tuam were “dumped” in a “septic tank” by “the nuns” or indeed that they were “killed” by “the nuns”.
Overwhelming evidence, with detailed references, shows that coffins and shrouds were used for babies who died in the Tuam mother and baby home. The babies were placed in a crypt. Crypts are very common in Ireland. Catherine Corless herself, interviewed two carpenters families who spoke to her about how their relatives built coffins for the babies. Nor were there any pipes going to or out the structure making the claim that the remains were in a septic tank utterly ridiculous. Old maps show a cess poll ( which is different to a septic tank) within the area and Corless put two and two together, made five, of which pro abortion advocates and Catholic bigots were only to delighted to fly the flag for.
All of the babies and children’s names, ages, places of birth and causes of death (tb, measles, flu, whooping cough amongst other illnesses) were recorded.
It was in fact county council who reduced the size of the original graveyard in order to build an access road to houses that had been built on the site and also to provide a playground. They reinterred the remains of babies and children that they had dug up in the structure (known as an ossuary). “The nuns” were well gone according to the evidence that shows the structure and re interment to have occurred after 1960’s.
Again, research on your part would have led you to the facts, but again it appears that you have little interest in the truth of the matter. How tragic is that?
@Aine Healy: the remains were found in a septic tank. Disused or not it is a septic tank. Not a grave.
Ah well, that’s ok then. No worries!
@Joecantdance: considering that the majority of the members of the council weren’t even born during the majority of the time this abuse was going on, what do you really expect them to do?
Not good enough, want to hear from the county manager at the time and to hear what his reasoning behind his lack of knowledge empathy of the women , not from the present council offering a hollow apology
They will be even more sorry when sued
No good. Not accepted. No point in this. Most of not all of this on the county council has nothing to do with it.
Are their politicians and senior civil servants getting a state funded pension for the work they did years ago. Health Boards, social workers among others.
have your say