Democracy camp seeks new direction at HK protest march

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HONG KONG: Tens of thousands joined a pro-democracy
march on the anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover to China yesterday in what organisers said was a chance to work out the movement’s next step as momentum wanes.

Crowds gathered in Victoria Park in the afternoon, many carrying yellow umbrellas, symbol of the democracy movement.

More protesters were expected to join en route with the march set to end in a rally at the government’s offices.

“The most important thing is to express disapproval to the Hong Kong and Chinese communist government for suppressing the freedoms of Chinese people and real elections for Hong Kong people,” protester Wong Man-ying, 61, told AFP.

Turnout was expected to be lower than in previous years after almost 12 months of rallies in the politically divided city, with campaigners admitting fatigue had set in.

Last year’s march saw huge numbers gather as discontent surged over restrictions by Beijing on how Hong Kong chooses its next leader, and organisers said a record 510,000 had attended.

The government’s plan to allow the public to vote for the city’s chief executive for the first time in 2017 was derided as “fake democracy” by the opposition as it stuck to Beijing’s ruling that candidates must be vetted by a loyalist committee.

That ruling sparked mass street rallies for more than two months at the end of last year and the bill was finally voted down by pro-democracy lawmakers last month.

“Everyone anticipates a lower turnout than last year… because the momentum has slowed down after the veto over political reform,” said Johnson Yeung of the Civil Human Rights Front, the march organisers.

But Yeung insisted numbers were not important and that this year’s march was a chance to reshape the democracy movement’s message, which has splintered since the end of the mass street rallies in December.

“Right now people are asking ‘what next?’ after the veto. We hope the march can set the political agenda and give citizens a chance to
discuss how to bring the democratic movement forward.” — AFP