Demonstration must go on in area where commuters were beaten with iron rods
Demonstrators in Hong Kong have vowed to march despite a police ban to condemn an attack by suspected gangs on commuters earlier this week.
On Thursday, police rejected an application by protesters to hold a rally in Yuen Long, in north-west Hong Kong, where dozens of masked men beat commuters on Sunday with rattan and iron rods.
The march must go on, said Michael Mo, a co-signer of the application submitted to police, on behalf of a group of protesters. Previously, Max Chung, who met police to submit the forms, also said he would move ahead if denied. For me personally I will, 100%, he said on Tuesday.
The ban raises the likelihood of clashes with local villagers, who had reportedly asked police to reject the application. Observers worry that an unsanctioned rally will embolden attackers from Sunday, believed to belong to organised crime groups, known as the triads. Yuen Long is surrounded by villages where these groups are active.
We have enough reasons to believe the protesters may have violent conflicts with the residents of the villages, which is dangerous for both sides, the police said in a letter of objection given to Chung.
Based on the conflicts in previous protests and the recent atmosphere in society, the police have enough reason to believe you cannot control the behaviour of the protesters. This is not good for maintaining public security or protecting others rights and freedom, it said.
Online protesters wrote under news of the rejection that they would travel to Yuen Long on Saturday, the date of the planned rally, to buy traditional Cantonese pastries or take a stroll.
The police letter means that the march is in effect illegal and anyone found demonstrating could be arrested.
Since we cant protest, we in Yuen Long invite people to come and visit, one user wrote on a forum for protesters. Others called on Hong Kongers to head to Yuen Long to boost the economy and by walking what would have been the route for the march, along a main road in the towns commercial district.
I myself on the same time and the same day will walk from the start point to end point by myself. Im just telling everyone in Hong Kong my daily schedule, Chung said after receiving news of the ban. He has applied to appeal the decision.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong authorities came under intense pressure to investigate and sanction those connected to the Yuen Long attack, which has prompted accusations of collusion between security, local authorities and the triads.
The Civil Human Rights Front and the Labour party filed formal complaints with Hong Kongs anti-graft agency, the Independent Commission Against Corruption, accusing police commissioner and other top police officials of misconduct.
On Wednesday, the democratic lawmaker Andrew Wan, from the New Territories, and his party also lodged a complaint, accusing the police of knowing of the attack beforehand but doing nothing to prevent it. A district councillor from Yuen Long has said he alerted police to threats of an attack that day and was told the police had a plan.
Calls for a government response have mushroomed over the past week, with rallies planned at Hong Kong airport and in a major hospital, as well as in Yuen Long. More than 23 groups, including civil servants, legislative staff, hospital workers, kindergarten teachers and pilots, have published statements condemning the attack and urging the government to respond.
The attack has escalated public anger at Hong Kongs leader, Carrie Lam, whose resignation is one of the protesters key demands. Previous criticism was focused on her refusal to meet demands by demonstrators including a full withdrawal of the controversial extradition bill that started the protests.
Quick guide
What are the Hong Kong protests about?
Opposition to a proposed extradition law has broadened into a wider movement against Hong Kong’s leadership, its relationship with China, and the future for the special administrative region.
Hong Kongs chief executive, Carrie Lam, has offered a solemn personal apology for the crisis and also hinted that she had in effect shelved the controversial legislation. However, protesters criticised her as insincere and said she had ignored their key demands. The demonstrations have continued.
The bill concerned legal changes that would make it easier to extradite people from Hong Kong to China. Supporters say the amendments are key to ensuring the city does not become a criminal refuge, but critics worry Beijing will use the law to extradite political opponents and others to China. Under the amended law, those accused of offences punishable by seven years or more in prison could be extradited.
The government claims the push to change the law, which would also apply to Taiwan and Macau, stems from the killing last year of a Hong Kong woman while she was in Taiwan with her boyfriend. Authorities in Taiwan suspect the womans boyfriend, who remains in Hong Kong, but cannot try him because no extradition agreement is in place.
Officials have promised to safeguard against abuses, pledging that no one at risk of political or religious persecution will be sent to the mainland. Suspects who could face the death penalty would not be extradited.
Hong Kong officials have repeatedly said the bill has not come from the central government in Beijing. However, Beijing has voiced its backing for the changes.
Many fear the proposed extradition law will be used by authorities to target political enemies. They worry the new legislation spells the end of the one country, two systems policy, eroding the civil rights enjoyed by Hong Kong residents since the handover of sovereignty from the UK to China in 1997.
Many attending the protests say they cannot not trust China because it has often used non-political crimes to target government critics. They also fear Hong Kong officials will not be able to reject Beijings requests. Legal professionals have also expressed concern over the rights of those sent across the border to be tried. The conviction rate in Chinese courts is as high as 99%. Arbitrary detentions, torture and denial of legal representation of ones choosing are also common.
Police have clashed directly with demonstrators, and have been accused of standing by during attacks on protesters and commuters by groups of men in white in Yuen Long on 21 July.
After the current crisis, analysts believe the Hong Kong government will probably start a new round of retaliatory measures against its critics, while the Chinese government will tighten its grip on the city.
Now, the ability of Lams administration to govern has come into question. The people of Hong Kong are already on the verge of collapse the police no longer protect the public [and] the Hong Kong government is incapable of governance, said a letter signed by more than 100 civil servants from 23 departments that issued severe condemnation of authorities.
Lam, who was last seen in public on Monday when she gave widely criticised comments to the press, said police would investigate the incident. The police have arrested 12 people in connection with the attack, on suspicion of unlawful assembly. No charges have yet been made.
The government is under a lot, a lot of pressure, said Joseph Cheng, a retired political scientist based in Hong Kong. People are wondering if the administration can even be effective in maintaining law and order.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/25/hong-kong-protesters-defy-police-ban-gang-attack
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