No end in sight for Hong Kong protests as further rallies staged
Recent demonstrations have often ended in violence.
Protesters spilled out into the streets in two parts of Hong Kong on Sunday, blocking traffic and setting up the latest potential showdowns with police.
A large group of mostly young protesters marched down the middle of Hennessey Road, a main shopping street in the Causeway Bay area, as a rally was held in nearby Victoria Park.
Many wore face masks to shield their identities, and a few had helmets. Others just carried backpacks over the black T-shirts that have become their uniform.
Across Victoria Harbour, protesters wearing gas masks and other protective gear gathered outside a police station in Cheung Sha Wan in Kowloon, where another march was under way. A few officers also wearing protective gear looked down at the protesters from above a tall wall around the station.
Hong Kong has seen nine weeks of protests with no end in sight. The movement’s demands include the resignation of the city’s leader, democratic elections, the release of those arrested in earlier protests and an investigation into police use of force against the protesters.
Banners at the rally in Victoria Park read “Give Hong Kong back to us” and “Withdraw the evil law,” the latter a reference to an extradition bill that was the original spark for the protests. A large crowd sat under umbrellas, which are both a protest symbol in Hong Kong and protection from the summer heat.
“There will still be citizens going out on the streets to protest, but we cannot control them and we do not have the authority to control them,” Ms Yu said.
Police permitted the rally in Victoria Park but denied a request by organisers to also have a march in the eastern part of Hong Kong Island. Police also denied permission for the march in Kowloon, but protesters went ahead anyway.
