21/07/2019
Tension in China
Police fired tear gas at a group of protesters. They demand the resignation of Prime Minister Carrie Lam.
Riot police fired tear gas at protesters this Sunday in
Hong Kong. /BLOOMBERG
Hong Kong returned to chaos on Sunday night as riot police used tear gas and rubber bullets against protesters., hours after a group of hooded men threw eggs and painted graffiti at the Chinese government liaison office.
According to the organizers, nails 430.000 people marched through the streets of the city, in the seventh consecutive weekend of a protest that seems to have no end in this semi-autonomous territory.
At night, Police charged masked protesters using tear gas and rubber bullets, in what has become a custom already at the end of these gigantic mobilizations.
On the other hand, and in an unprecedented fact, a group of government supporters, also masked and armed with bats, They attacked opponents at a train station, hitting several people, including journalists who broadcast live.
From the 9 June, Hong Kong is the scene of huge demonstrations that have sometimes led to violent incidents between the police and radical protesters..
The most massive were on Sundays 9 and 16 June, that brought together one to two million people, respectively.
Sunday's march in Hong Kong ended in strong clashes with police. /BLOOMEBRG
The movement began with the rejection of a bill, now suspended, which authorized extraditions to mainland China.
The protests then expanded to demand that the democratic freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong be maintained., in particular freedom of expression and the independence of justice.
In theory this former British colony, which returned under Chinese control in 1997, should retain their freedoms until 2047 thanks to the retrocession agreement.
this sunday, for the seventh consecutive weekend, The protesters paraded through the streets in an authorized route shorter than usual, which was not respected since the protest was directed to the Chinese government liaison office.
Over there, Protesters wearing masks threw eggs and other projectiles at the building's facade, and they painted graffiti.
The office condemned the protesters' behavior in a statement.. "Hemos respetado a los miembros del público que expresaron sus opiniones pacíficamente, but the marches have repeatedly ended in illegal demonstrations, road occupations, desafíos a los cordones policiales y asedios a edificios", wrote.
Demonstration in Hong Kong against the extradition law
a China REUTERS / TYRONE SIU
"El gobierno (from China) is concerned that a small group of radical protesters are planning to incite the public to break the law and even storm central government offices in Hong Kong. Such a move will threaten security in Hong Kong and pose a threat to a country, two systems. La sociedad no aceptará esto", warned the text.
Attacks by masked men on protesters that later took place in Yueng Long, in another part of the city, constitute a new escalation.
Another night of chaos in Hong Kong after a massive protest against the pro-Chinese government. /AP
Similar attacks by government sympathizers had been reported in 2004 durante las protestas de la "revolución de los paraguas".
However, The authorities had reinforced security in the city center. metal barriers, sometimes used as barricades by protesters, were removed and the central police department was surrounded with plastic security barriers filled with water.
Protesters call for resignation of Hong Kong chief executive, Carrie Lam, which has the support of Beijing, as well as the withdrawal of the extradition bill and an independent investigation into police violence, among other demands.
However, There are no signs at the moment that Lam or China are willing to concede any more than they have..
Beyond the suspension of the extradition project, There have only been small concessions and there are growing fears that the Chinese government is running out of patience..
Recently, The South China Morning Post reported that Beijing was preparing a plan to resolve the Hong Kong issue., according to Chinese government sources.
Protesters march through central Hong Kong again wearing helmets. /AFP
The published details suggest there would be little interest in calming public anger and that the focus would instead be on increasing support for Lam and the police..
on saturday, Several tens of thousands of people demonstrated in Hong Kong to support the police and the pro-Beijing government.
Mientras tenía lugar esta demostración de fuerza del 'establishment', Hong Kong police announced they had discovered an improvised factory producing high-powered explosives alongside pro-independence leaflets.
According to the police, The discovery took place in an industrial building in the Tsuen Wan district on Friday night. a man of 27 years was arrested.
