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'Democracy now': Protesters stage sit-in at Hong Kong airport
HONG KONG - Demonstrators crowded the arrivals hall at Hong Kong airport on Friday, handing out anti-government leaflets and waving banners in a dozen languages in a bid to raise awareness among visitors ahead of weekend rallies planned across the city.
About a thousand protesters, mostly young and wearing black T-shirts, held a sit-in and distributed flyers headlined "Dear travellers" above artwork depicting the protests since June that have plunged the financial hub into its biggest crisis since returning to China from British rule in 1997.
"Please forgive us for the 'unexpected' Hong Kong," the English leaflets read. "You've arrived in a broken, torn-apart city, not the one you have once pictured. Yet for this Hong Kong, we fight".
The increasingly violent protests pose one of the gravest populist challenges yet to Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
What started as an angry response to a now-suspended law that would have allowed criminal suspects to be extradited for trial in Chinese courts has grown to include demands for greater democracy, the resignation of Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam, and even keeping out mainland tourists.
The crowd at the airport filled two chambers of the arrivals hall. Protesters sang "Do You Hear the People Sing?" from the musical Les Miserables and chanted: "Democracy now" and "Hong Kongers, add oil!" — a popular exhortation in Cantonese.
The airport demonstration came as the city's powerful property developers spoke out for the first time, urging calm after a dozen big companies warned in recent days that the unrest had dented earnings.
"The Hong Kong community has been suffering from the acts of violence perpetrated by a small group of individuals lately," said a statement signed by 17 developers, including Henderson Land Development, New World Development 0017.HK, and Sun Hung Kai Properties.
"Such acts have deviated from the original intent of the peaceful demonstrations and are bringing distress to the business community and the general public as a whole," it said.
Lam scheduled a news conference at 5.15 p.m. local time (0915 GMT) with Financial Secretary Paul Chan and Commerce and Economic Development Secretary Edward Yau as the economic fallout from the protests widens.
'WE"RE NOT RIOTERS'
There was no sign of a police presence at the airport by late Friday afternoon.
"It will be a peaceful protest as long as the police do not show up," one protester, Charlotte Lam, 16, told Reuters.
"We have made stickers, banners in over 16 languages, ranging from Japanese to Spanish. We want to spread our message internationally. We are not rioters, we are a group of Hong Kong people fighting for human rights and freedom," she said.
Hong Kong has recalled from retirement a police commander who oversaw the response to pro-democracy demonstrations in 2014 to help deal with the latest protests, suggesting a lack of confidence in the current leadership.
Former deputy police commissioner Alan Lau Yip-shing will handle large-scale public order events, including activities to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on Oct. 1, the government said in a statement.
The escalating violence has already prompted travel warnings from countries including the United States and Australia, although the airport demonstration did not draw complaints from some travellers.
"I don't really know what to think about the protest down there," said a woman from New Zealand who gave her name as Joyce.
"Right now I just hope it won't delay my flight. But at the same time, as long as you're making a point without making too much trouble, it's OK I guess," she said.
A Taiwanese man named Daloy, 32, welcomed the demonstrators even though his flight was cancelled.
"I think this is more important, because today it's Hong Kong and tomorrow it will be Taiwan," he said. "We are also in a dangerous situation."
The Chinese General Chamber of Commerce said in a statement on Thursday it supported the stance of Zhang Xiaoming, one of the most senior Chinese officials overseeing Hong Kong affairs.
Zhang said during a meeting in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen this week Hong Kong was facing its worst crisis since it returned to Chinese rule in 1997. He said the central government must intervene if "turmoil" occurs in Hong Kong.
- Reuters
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Discussions
Be the first to like this. Showing 14 of 14 comments
There is no glory in forcing people to stay under your roof. Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang should be independent. If Guangdong and Fujian wants to be independent, they should allow to do so. The 1China pride is rubbish. Is like Hitler who tries to unite EUrope by force. At the end of the day, friendly neighbors trade with one another. Economy will do tremendously well. Just look at Spore. The Malaysian government didn't forcefully want it to join Malaysia. At the end of the day, Spore is more developed and contribute the largest tourism money to Malaysia. Is a win-win situation.
2019-08-10 14:20
stockraider, you must be lucky you are still in Malaysia. When are you migrating back to China? With your common sense, I am not surprise you are the biggest loser in your family and keep losing money in stock market.
2019-08-11 13:30
THere are 1.5 million people legally migrating out of CHina every year compare to 5 million people legally migrating into USA every year. You guess where the rich Chinese mainlander want to go? Of course USA. Nobody likes Chinese communist party rules. Only losers like stockraider loves them.
2019-08-12 08:11
100 years ago, British drugged Chinese/HongKies with opium, 100 years later poisoned them with fake democracy. British so great? Let Scotland, north Ireland and Wales independent lor...
2019-08-12 11:12
People who supports CCP are usually losers and domestic abusers. They always beat their own children and wife and lose money in stock market.
2019-08-13 07:54
None of these losers who are pro CCP has yet to migrate back to China. Go back there. See how much are you earning? See how well you can start up a business there. Talking from their ass all the time.
2019-08-13 07:55
Ipoh_horfun, British did run a referendum for Scotland to become independence a few years back. But most scotland vote to remain in UK. Caveman ipoh_horfun, you are ignorants and have no computer skills. That is why you end up selling horfun in ipoh. Is a low paying job and low paying business. Since you didn't learn computer, that is why you ended up in low paying job with your stupid mentality and still eating Traditional Chinese medicine and double parking everywhere including your neighbour's house.
2019-08-13 07:57
china will never b democratic due to its geography, it will break up n fall into pieces like in ussr n europe..this is wat usa want to c. ongong war n instability will render china into another back ward country. democracy is not for every big country. there can only be 1 united states...EU fails, USSR fails...only US of As.
2019-08-13 08:14
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This book is the result of the author's many years of experience and observation throughout his 26 years in the stockbroking industry. It was written for general public to learn to invest based on facts and not on fantasies or hearsay....
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My Lines: "Do you hear the people sing? Singing the song of angry man, it is the music of the people who will not be slave again. When the beating of your heart, echoes the beating of the drums, there is a life about to start when tomorrow comes. "
Will you join in our crusade who will be strong and stand with me. Beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see? Then join in the fight that will give you the right to be FREE.
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Will you give all you can give so that our banner may advance. Some will fall and some will live will you stand up and take your chance. The blood of the martyrs will water the meadows of Kong. (!!!) (lol)
2019-08-09 20:32