Hong Kong Protesters Defy Virus Rules, Vow to Resume Movement
Hong Kong Protesters Defy Virus Rules, Vow to Resume Movement
(Bloomberg) -- Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protesters staged a small demonstration at a luxury downtown mall, challenging rules that ban gatherings of more than four people in a glimpse of what could be another summer of discontent as local virus cases ease.
The gathering of around 100 people at lunchtime Friday was one of the largest since the Covid-19 pandemic descended on the city earlier this year, effectively halting pro-democracy protests that rocked the city since they began last June.
Hong Kong’s government, one of the first to be hit globally with the virus, implemented social-distancing measures starting in late January. It ratcheted up restrictions -- including the restrictions on public gatherings -- as a second wave of infections hit in mid-March. Hong Kong reported no new infections on Friday, the 13th straight day of single-digit or no new cases.
Protesters at the International Finance Centre mall said the masses would again take to the streets in opposition to Beijing’s tightening grip over the city even if the government or police try to use social-distancing restrictions to curtail their freedom. Several expressed anger over interventions by China’s central government in recent weeks, such as blasting opposition leaders for filibustering and asserting the right to supervise Hong Kong’s politics ahead of legislative elections in September.
“I am worried about the police using this as an excuse to arrest people here, but I still think we should all be coming out and telling everyone that we still care about this movement,” said a 30-year-old finance professional who gave his name as Chris, adding that June and July would be busy months for the protesters. “We should all wear a mask and keep our distance. But we need to resume our movement.”
Virus Concerns
Starting around 1 p.m., a half-dozen protesters gathered in the central atrium of the mall and laid banners on the floor, one of which read “Fight for freedom, stand with HK.” They wore surgical masks, protective eyegear and other face coverings -- once worn to conceal their identities, and now also to prevent the virus from spreading.
Organizers encouraged participants to be responsible.
“Please be reminded to keep 1.5 meters away from each other” one yelled into a microphone. Finance professionals and others on their lunch breaks unfurled banners over the atrium railings and yelled out slogans including: “If we burn, you burn with us!”
One IT professional surnamed Chan said she wouldn’t be surprised if Hong Kong’s police took advantage of the Friday gathering to make arrests, and added it was “very likely” the government could extend restrictions on social gatherings merely to clamp down on political dissent.
“It would give them legitimacy to stop people from gathering and protesting, whatever they don’t want -- and it sounds like a very good reason, because of social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic,” she said, adding that she and her friends planned to attend more protests over the summer.
“Of course, the virus is still very dangerous and very contagious,” she said “But I think that the protesters will take care of themselves. Like me, I’m wearing a face mask and eye protection, and we’ll try to keep our distance from each other.”
‘We Have No Choice’
The protest ended without police confrontation and was small compared to marches last year that brought out hundreds of thousands of people and often saw violent clashes between demonstrators and riot police. Still, it showed that the underlying grievances that fueled last year’s protests haven’t gone away.
It also underscored how Hong Kong’s government -- despite its efforts to rein in the virus -- is receiving few plaudits from residents increasingly alarmed at Beijing’s recent statements on the city, which have been defended by Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam.
One accountant surnamed Wong said her entire family had been outraged by the statements from the Liaison Office, China’s main representative in the city, and that her son encouraged her to come and protest Friday.
“We are very worried, but it’s our responsibility to come out and protect Hong Kong,” she said. “The government is so bad. And the Chinese Communist Party is interfering in a lot of Hong Kong matters. They say it’s ‘one country, two systems.’ But it seems like it’s not. It’s becoming ‘one country, one system.’”
©2020 Bloomberg L.P.