HONG KONG (TNS) — Hong Kongers defied police restrictions and pouring rain to march across the city on Sunday, spilling out of a large public park and filling major streets in the latest edition of a summer of pro-democracy demonstrations.

Protesters began the afternoon by rallying at Victoria Park, the starting point for the two peaceful marches in June that brought unprecedented numbers to the streets to oppose an extradition bill to China.

But the park could not contain their numbers on Sunday, and throngs of umbrella-toting demonstrators quickly spread through major roads, walking in different directions. Organizers said more than 1.7 million people participated, although that figure could not be independently confirmed.

Police had approved the rally within the park but denied permission for a march, prompting the organizers, the Civil Human Rights Front, to appeal the decision because demonstrators were likely to march anyway. By late afternoon, there was no visible police presence even as the Hong Kong Police Force tweeted that two major thoroughfares had been “occupied” by demonstrators.

Sunday’s rally was billed as a return to nonviolent demonstrations, one week after thousands of protesters occupied the Hong Kong airport and caused all departing flights to be canceled. Protesters that day clashed with police, blocked passengers from boarding flights, and attacked two suspected spies from mainland China, including one reporter for the Chinese state outlet Global Times.

Two hours before the rally’s 3 p.m. start time, thousands of protesters were already filling nearby subway stations and streaming into the park, clad in black clothing and opening umbrellas in a light rain that would soon grow heavier.

Protesters who have turned out this summer to oppose the extradition bill — which they see as a threat to Hong Kong’s rule of law and a sign of Beijing’s growing control over the territory — have classified themselves into two groups: “the valiant,” who go to the front lines and clash directly with police, and “the peaceful, rational, nonviolent,” who support tactics such as rallies and marches.

In response to the largest popular uprising in Hong Kong, police have fired tear gas and rubber bullets regularly at protesters, some of whom throw bricks and gasoline bombs in return.

On Sunday, protesters said it was time for the valiant to compromise and support the peaceful, just as the peaceful have often stood behind protesters clashing with police on the front lines.

One protester dressed in the “valiant” costume — all black, with elbow pads, goggles and a mask — held up a handwritten sign in the middle of the park: “Peaceful, rational, nonviolent … thank you for being my backup, never leaving me behind, supporting me even when you disagreed with my tactics! August 18th. No more division.”

Rally speakers said the purpose of this march was to return to the “peaceful, rational, and nonviolent means” of protest that had marked the movement’s beginning. </s> "There is another large group of people in the central district, which we are unable to count, but I am sure that the total number of participants is much more than 1.7 million people", Jimmy Sham told reporters.

By midnight (16:00 GMT Sunday), almost all the protesters, who had earlier gathered near a complex of government buildings in Admiralty area in the city’s central district, left the site, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

Earlier, they pounded with their umbrellas on the 6.6-foot barriers installed around the Legislative Council building with umbrellas, with separate individuals, amid cheers from the crowd, attempting to climb over them.

They also shone lasers and flashlights at the building, albeit making no radical attempts to break through the barriers. Demonstrators did not block the traffic either. No police officers were seen nearby.

​Activists were dressed in black clothing, masks, helmets, with some of them having walkie-talkies or carrying UK and US flags.

After the rally, the crowd took away any garbage produced and urged numerous journalists to go home and "not stage riots".

​Earlier in the day, the opposition Civil Human Rights Front organised a mass demonstration in Victoria Park. Even though the police only sanctioned the rally in Victoria Park, the protesters, despite rainy weather, soon left the park to join an unauthorised march.

In total, Hong Kong is home to about 7.5 million people, including about 6 million adults. The Sunday rally is not the first action of such a scale. On 16 June some 2 million joined the protests.

Mass protests erupted in China's semi-autonomous Hong Kong in early June in response to a controversial bill that would allow extraditions to the mainland. Although the local parliament eventually announced that it had suspended the bill, people continue to protest, demanding that it be withdrawn completely. They also want the city authorities to implement universal suffrage and retract criminal charges against protesters.

At first, the rallies were peaceful but they subsequently led to violent clashes between the demonstrators and the police. </s> Hong Kong streets were turned into rivers of umbrellas on Sunday as hundreds of thousands of people marched through heavy rain down a major road in the Chinese territory, where massive pro-democracy demonstrations have become a regular weekend activity. Organizers said at least 1.7 million participated, though the police estimate was far lower.

The assembly was peaceful, with no reports of violence, making for a rare calm weekend in a protest movement that has been marked by violent clashes with police. Law enforcement officers kept a low profile, with no riot police seen from the procession's main routes. When stragglers convened outside a government complex in the late evening, other protesters urged them to go home.

"We hope that there will not be any chaotic situations today," organizer Bonnie Leung said early in the day. "We hope we can show the world that Hong Kong people can be totally peaceful."

Leung's group, the Civil Human Rights Front, had organized three previous massive marches in Hong Kong since June. The movement, however, has been increasingly marked by clashes with police as demonstrators vent their frustrations over what they perceive to be the government's blatant refusal to respond to their demands.

"Peace is the No. 1 priority today," said Kiki Ma, a 28-year-old accountant who participated in the march. "We want to show that we aren't like the government."

While police granted approval for the rally, they didn't approve an accompanying march. Demonstrators nevertheless fanned out and filled the streets, as there was not enough space at the designated assembly area.

Public transit trains did not stop at stations near the assembly because of overcrowding.

Jimmy Shan of the Civil Human Rights Front said the group estimated that at least 1.7 million took part in the rally. He said the figure did not include those who were not able to make it to Victoria Park — where the march began — due to traffic constraints.

Police, whose crowd figures are generally lower than the organizers' estimates, said the turnout at the assigned location and during the designated time period was 128,000. Many protesters, however, did not follow the pre-approved guidelines laid out by the authorities.

In Beijing, You Wenze, a spokesman for China's ceremonial legislature, condemned statements from U.S. lawmakers supportive of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement.

You called the lawmakers' comments "a gross violation of the spirit of the rule of law, a blatant double standard and a gross interference in China's internal affairs."

He said that Hong Kong's 7.5 million people and the Chinese population as a whole rejected the actions of a "very small group of violent protesters" as well as "any interference of foreign forces."

You did not mention any specific lawmaker, but numerous U.S. senators and Congress members, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have affirmed the U.S. commitment to human rights and urged Hong Kong's government to end the standoff.

Congress also has the power to pass legislation affecting Hong Kong's relationship with the U.S. in ways that could further erode the territory's reputation for stability and rule of law. That includes the recent reintroduction of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act in Congress, which would among its other provisions require the secretary of state to issue an annual certification of Hong Kong's autonomy to justify special treatment afforded to the city.

More directly, President Donald Trump could simply issue an executive order suspending Hong Kong's special trading status with the U.S., a move that could have a devastating effect on the local economy at a time when Beijing and Washington are engaged in a bitter trade war.

A former British colony, Hong Kong was returned to Beijing in 1997 under the framework of "one country, two systems," which promised residents certain democratic rights not afforded to people in mainland China. But some Hong Kongers have accused the Communist Party-ruled central government of eroding their freedoms in recent years.

The protest movement's demands include the resignation of Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam, democratic elections and an independent investigation into police use of force.

Harley Ho, a 20-year-old social work student who attended Sunday's rally, said protesters were undeterred by the rain and would not rest until their demands were met.

"We will stand here, we will take action until they respond to us," she said. "In the rain, our spirit becomes stronger."

Members of China's paramilitary People's Armed Police force have been training for days across the border in Shenzhen, including on Sunday morning, fueling speculation that they could be sent in to suppress the protests. The Hong Kong police, however, have said they are capable of handling the demonstrations.

Associated Press journalists Ken Moritsugu, Yves Dam Van and Phoebe Lai in Hong Kong, Dake Kang in Shenzhen, China, and Christopher Bodeen in Beijing contributed to this report. </s> Pro-democracy protesters walk during a march organized by teachers in Hong Kong Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019. Members of China’s paramilitary People’s Armed Police marched and practiced crowd control tactics at a sports complex in Shenzhen across from Hong Kong in what some interpreted as a threat against pro-democracy protesters in the semi-autonomous territory. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

HONG KONG (AP) — Pro-democracy protesters marched on one side of Hong Kong’s famous harbor on Saturday to demand the government heed their demands. Across the water, a pro-government rally called for an end to the often violent protests.

The dueling demonstrations highlighted the political divide in the semiautonomous Chinese territory, which for 10 weeks has been rocked by protests that show no signs of relenting.

“The government right now doesn’t listen to the people, and the police are too violent,” said Bobby Tse, a 76-year-old retiree who watched the pro-democracy march from a bridge. “It didn’t used to be like this. We didn’t have to protest every week. But now even though we have protests every week, the government still gives no response.”

At the pro-government rally, speakers on a stage said they love both Hong Kong and China and asked the protesters why they are afraid of China. Supporters gave a thumbs-up to police officers and posed for photos with them. Leo Chen, a 47-year-old driver, said he came out because he wants peace in his city of 7.4 million people.

“Before, everyone in Hong Kong helped each other, it was very harmonious,” he said. “Now to see it become like this, I’m not happy, so I’ve come out to show a little strength.”

Earlier Saturday, thousands of schoolteachers marched to the official residence of Hong Kong’s leader, Carrie Lam, to show support for the protesters, who have taken to the streets since early June and include many students.

Carrying signs that read “Protect the next generation” and umbrellas to ward off intermittent downpours, the teachers tied white ribbons to a metal fence near Government House. They said the government should answer the protesters’ demands and stop using what they called police violence to disperse demonstrators who have taken over streets and besieged and defaced government buildings.

“We want to protect our students, our youngsters, so teachers are willing to come out and speak for the youngsters, and also, to stand by them so they are not alone,” said Fung Wai-wah, president of the Hong Kong Professional Teachers’ Union, which organized the march.

The movement’s demands include Lam’s resignation, democratic elections and an independent investigation into police use of force. A rally in Victoria Park has been called for Sunday by a pro-democracy group that has organized three massive marches through central Hong Kong since June.

“Even though we’re all scared of getting arrested, we have to keep going,” said Minnie Lee, a 31-year-old logistics worker who joined the pro-democracy march. “What we are fighting for is democracy and our rights. We’re not doing anything wrong. If we stop now, things will only get worse.”

Tensions rose briefly after the march, with riot police deployed to chase down a group of pro-democracy protesters they said were assembling illegally outside their station, shining laser pointers and throwing eggs.

Officers formed a line on a nearby street, thumping their batons on their shields before charging.

But by that time, most protesters had already melted away into the city’s densely populated Mong Kok district, leaving officers to face angry local residents, who told them to leave and accused them of being members of crime gangs. The police eventually left without firing tear gas.

Members of China’s paramilitary People’s Armed Police force have been training this week across the border in Shenzhen, fueling speculation that they could be sent in to suppress the protests. Officers didn’t appear to hold major drills on Saturday, but could be seen doing jumping jacks and stretching inside a sports stadium. Dozens of army-green armored carriers and trucks were parked inside and outside the facility.

The Hong Kong police, however, have said they are capable of handling the protests.

“I can tell you we’re confident the police have the capability to maintain law and order,” Yeung Man-pun, commander of the Kowloon City district, said Friday when asked about the possibility of a deployment of mainland security forces.

Outside of Hong Kong, demonstrations were held in support of both the pro-democracy movement and China.

In Australia, at least 200 protesters descended on Sydney Town Hall, chanting “Long live China” and singing the Chinese national anthem, while a protest in support of the pro-democracy movement continued in Melbourne.

The Melbourne rally had turned ugly on Friday night, with police moving in to separate some 100 pro-China protesters from those sympathetic to Hong Kong. Saturday’s protest in the southern city was peaceful.

In Taiwan, people held a flash mob demonstration in Taipei, the island’s capital, in support of the Hong Kong protests.

Associated Press writer Ken Moritsugu, videojournalist Yves Dam Van and news assistant Phoebe Lai in Hong Kong and videojournalist Dake Kang in Shenzhen, China, contributed to this report. </s> Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement pressed forward Sunday as protesters rallied at Victoria Park, the starting point for the two peaceful marches in June that brought unprecedented numbers to the streets to oppose an extradition bill to China.

Sunday’s rally was billed as a return to nonviolent demonstrations, one week after thousands of protesters occupied the Hong Kong airport and caused all departing flights to be canceled. Protesters that day clashed with police, blocked passengers from boarding flights, and attacked two suspected spies from mainland China, including one reporter for the Chinese state outlet Global Times .

This time, police denied permission for a march, only approving a rally within the park. The Civil Human Rights Front, which organized the rally, appealed the police decision, saying it was dangerous because people were likely to march regardless.

Two hours before the rally’s starting time, thousands of protesters were already filling nearby subway stations and streaming into the park, clad in black clothing and opening umbrellas in a light rain.

Protesters who have turned out this summer to oppose the extradition bill — which they see as a threat to Hong Kong’s rule of law and a sign of Beijing’s growing control over the territory — have classified themselves into two groups: “the valiant,” who go to the front lines and clash directly with police, and “the peaceful, rational, nonviolent,” who support tactics such as rallies and marches.

In response to the largest popular uprising in Hong Kong in years, police have fired tear gas and rubber bullets regularly at protesters, some of whom throw bricks and gasoline bombs in return.

A protester named Ray, 26, said he was “valiant” but still supported this kind of protest.

“We never thought these rallies were useless. We think it’s the most powerful way to express ourselves, because we can get millions of people and get our voice out globally,” said Ray, who like several protesters declined to give his full name to shield himself from official retribution.

He hoped there would be no tear gas Sunday , but added that wish was “not practical.”

Amy, 26, said she believed in peaceful protest but called the police’s refusal to approve the march “a form of suppression.”

Although the government has already suspended the bill, protesters’ demands have expanded to include democratic reforms and greater accountability for the government and police, who protesters accuse of overuse of force and collusion with organized gangs called triads.

More than 700 protesters have been arrested, dozens of them charged with rioting, an offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

After the unrest at the airport, smaller rallies Friday and Saturday were peaceful, ending a week of reflection and online discussion in which many protesters urged a return to less-aggressive tactics.

Beijing officials have said without evidence that the CIA is orchestrating Hong Kong’s protests. Officials have also said the protests show signs of terrorism and threaten China’s national sovereignty, which they have described as a “bottom line .”

In recent days, in an apparent show of force by Beijing, hundreds of armed paramilitary vehicles have been seen in Shenzhen, just across the border from Hong Kong. The People’s Liberation Army also maintains a garrison inside Hong Kong, though Hong Kong’s law forbids the military from intervention unless requested by the Hong Kong government. </s> Hong Kong (CNN) More than 1 million protesters took to the streets of Hong Kong Sunday, organizers said, to oppose a controversial extradition bill that would enable China to extradite fugitives from the city.

The mass of protesters would be the largest demonstration since the city was handed back to China in 1997. Civil Human Rights Front, the group that organized the protests, said 1.03 million people marched -- a figure that accounts for almost one in seven of the city's 7.48 million-strong population.

Hong Kong Police estimated the number of protesters closer to 240,000.

Critics say the bill will leave anyone on Hong Kong soil vulnerable to being grabbed by the Chinese authorities for political reasons or inadvertent business offenses and undermine the city's semi-autonomous legal system.

The bill has caused political gridlock, outcry among the city's usually pro-conservative business community, and even physical scuffles in the city's legislature, as well as criticism of the Hong Kong government by the United States and European Union.

-- such as Taiwan, Macau and mainland China. Lawmakers have said the The government says the bill is designed to plug loopholes in current law by allowing Hong Kong to decide on a case-by-case basis whether or not to send fugitives to territories where it doesn't have formal extradition deals-- such as Taiwan, Macau and mainland China. Lawmakers have said the guarantee of a fair trial will not be written into the bill.

Protesters waved placards and wore white -- the designated color of the rally. "Hong Kong, never give up!" some chanted.

Sunday afternoon, protesters gathered at Victoria Park in central Hong Kong, waving placards and wearing white -- the designated color of the rally. "Hong Kong, never give up!" some chanted.

Other protesters were heard chanting "step down," "shelve the evil law," "anti extradition to China," and called for Carrie Lam, the chief executive of Hong Kong, to step down, as the marchers made their way along the 3-kilometer (1.86-mile) route to the Legislative Council in the Admiralty business district.

At least seven people were arrested, the police posted to Twitter

At around 7:30 p.m. in Hong Kong (7:30 a.m. ET), five to six men with masks planned to occupy a main road in the city, Hong Kong Police said on Twitter.

Police said they used pepper spray on the protesters before they escaped the area. Officers urged protesters to disperse.

The protest was mostly peaceful during the day, but it turned violent overnight, with police trying to clear protesters with batons.

Thousands also gathered to protest the extradition bill in cities across Australia on Sunday. Similar marches were planned in other cities around the world, Hong Kong political group Demosisto said in a statement.

At about 10.30 p.m. (10.30 a.m. ET), organizers announced that the protest had ended. CNN journalists on the ground said the bulk of the protesters had dispersed by then, leaving a number of people milling around the Legislative Council.

Late Sunday, the government of Hong Kong released a statement acknowledging the ongoing protests across the island but reiterating the contested bill is still scheduled to resume debate June 12.

"We urge the Legislative Council to scrutinize the Bill in a calm, reasonable and respectful manner to help ensure Hong Kong remains a safe city for residents and business," it said.

Murder of tourist

The case for the bill was expedited by a grisly murder case in Taiwan, where a 20-year-old Hong Kong woman was allegedly killed by her boyfriend while on holiday there. Currently, the suspect cannot be sent from Hong Kong to face justice in Taiwan.

In #HongKong, scores of protesters - including this family - gather in Victoria Park to take part in a march against the proposed #extradition law. pic.twitter.com/Qc61f6REEk — Kristie Lu Stout✌🏽 (@klustout) June 9, 2019

However, Taipei has already said it will refuse to cooperate with the new law if it puts Taiwanese citizens at risk of being extradited to China. The self-ruled island has previously seen citizens accused of crimes in countries that do not recognize Taiwan diplomatically being handed to Chinese custody , despite objections of Taipei.

Earlier this week, Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong, slammed the bill.

"People have known exactly why there shouldn't be an extradition agreement with China for years," Patten said in a video message Thursday. "The argument that it's better to have an extradition treaty than to abduct people illegally from Hong Kong -- are people really supposed to believe that?"

Protesters take part in a rally against the proposed extradition law on April 28, 2019, in Hong Kong.

Last month, representatives from the European Union met with Lam, the chief executive, and expressed concern over the bill. Members of the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) have also spoken out against the bill, warning Lam it could "negatively impact the relationship between the United States and Hong Kong."

Unwanted and unneeded?

Business groups in Hong Kong usually take a neutral stance on contentious political issues. But this time they, too, have spoken out against the bill. In a bid to secure their support, the government has limited the scope of extraditable offenses -- but for some that is still not enough.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong warned last week there were "too many uncertainties in fundamental sections of the proposed legislation" for it to be passed in its current form.

"Hong Kong is not ready to see this bill passed and we do not see why it should be rushed through when the loophole it seeks to address has existed for 20 years," the chamber said in a statement.

A woman holds a poster of Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, against a proposed extradition law, before a candlelight vigil at Victoria Park in Hong Kong on June 4, 2019.

But government spokesman Matthew Cheung said the move was time sensitive.

"The suspect in the Taiwan murder case is serving sentences for other criminal offenses in Hong Kong but is expected to be released this October," Cheung said. "There is thus a pressing need to provide a legal basis for the assistance that we want to render to Taiwan, before the (legislature) goes into summer recess from mid-July to October."

Cheung did not address Taipei's concerns over the bill. Separately, Lam said it was "unfounded" to suggest the Hong Kong government "will just follow the instructions given by the Central Government and surrender whatever fugitives that the Central Government wants."

A US State Department spokesperson said Washington is "concerned by the Hong Kong government's proposed amendments to its Fugitive Offenders Ordinance, which would allow for individuals to be transferred to mainland China at the request of Communist Party authorities, and is closely monitoring the situation."

"Societies are best served when diverse political views are respected and can be freely expressed," the spokesperson said in a statement. "Continued erosion of the 'One country, Two systems' framework puts at risk Hong Kong's long-established special status in international affairs."

Fierce opposition

The extradition bill, particularly an attempt to fast-track it through Hong Kong's semi-democratic Legislature, has reinvigorated the city's flagging opposition movement after numerous setbacks.

Organizers claimed 130,000 people took part in a protest against the bill in April . While police gave the lower figure of 22,800, it was still the biggest protest since the 2014 Umbrella Movement, an ultimately unsuccessful protest over political reform which shut down parts of the city for months.

Photos: Massive Hong Kong vigil held 30 years after Tiananmen A candlelight vigil, held in Hong Kong's Victoria Park on Tuesday, remembered the victims of the 1989 massacre in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Hide Caption 1 of 8 Photos: Massive Hong Kong vigil held 30 years after Tiananmen The annual candlelight vigil has been taking place in Hong Kong's Victoria Park since 1990. The vigil calls for the release of all dissidents, rehabilitation of the 1989 pro-democracy movement, accountability for the massacre, the end of one-party dictatorship and the start of a democratic China. Hide Caption 2 of 8 Photos: Massive Hong Kong vigil held 30 years after Tiananmen For many who lived in Hong Kong in 1989, the massacre quashed their hopes that a rapidly reforming China would also bring democracy to the city. "Young people in China were demanding democracy," Lee Cheuk-yan, one of the organizers, told CNN in 2017. "We felt that if they made it, it meant Hong Kong would not have to live under an authoritarian regime." The massacre forever changed the character of Hong Kong, Lee said. "In the past we were something of an economic city, but after 1989 we became a political city." Hide Caption 3 of 8 Photos: Massive Hong Kong vigil held 30 years after Tiananmen While attendance at the annual vigil has fluctuated — with some, particularly younger people, complaining that the focus on democracy in China ignores more pressing demands for reform in the city — key anniversaries have always brought massive numbers to Victoria Park. According to the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, more than 200,000 people attended a commemoration in 2009, and 180,000 came out in 2014 for the 25th anniversary. Hide Caption 4 of 8 Photos: Massive Hong Kong vigil held 30 years after Tiananmen Tens of thousands filled Victoria Park on Tuesday, ignoring sweltering heat and threatening clouds overhead. Most wore black and almost all held candles overhead. The crowd chanted: "Demand accountability for the massacre! End one-party dictatorship! Build a democratic China!" Hide Caption 5 of 8 Photos: Massive Hong Kong vigil held 30 years after Tiananmen Students at the University of Hong Kong clean the "Pillar of Shame" statue, a memorial for those killed in the 1989 crackdown. Hide Caption 6 of 8 Photos: Massive Hong Kong vigil held 30 years after Tiananmen Students at the University of Hong Kong observe a minute of silence in front of the "Pillar of Shame" statue. Hide Caption 7 of 8 Photos: Massive Hong Kong vigil held 30 years after Tiananmen A Chinese paramilitary police officer stands guard in front of Mao Zedong's portrait on Beijing's Tiananmen Gate on Tuesday. Hide Caption 8 of 8

Fears over the bill -- and criticism from a broad swath of Hong Kong society -- echo 2003, when half a million people took to the streets to oppose the passage of an anti-sedition law. That legislation was shelved, but the issue has become such a hot-button topic in Hong Kong that -- despite promising to do so -- no governments since have attempted to introduce it.

Sunday's protest comes days after the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre , a pivotal moment that dashed hopes China would democratize before it took control of Hong Kong in 1997.

Hong Kong has commemorated the massacre with a candlelit vigil ever since, the only place on Chinese soil where mass remembrances are held. Organizers said more than 180,000 people joined a vigil in the city's Victoria Park on Tuesday , the largest such event since the 25th anniversary in 2014, which came in the politically fraught run-up to the Umbrella protests.

Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the number of people who participated in protests in Hong Kong on Sunday. The Civil Human Rights Front estimates there were 1.03 million protesters. </s> HONG KONG: Tens of thousands of Hong Kong activists gathered on Sunday (Aug 18) afternoon for a major rally in Victoria Park to show the city's leaders their protest movement still attracts wide public support despite mounting violence.



The rally stretched to a small march outside Tin Hau MTR station near Victoria Park, with protesters holding up placards and chanting.

Protesters march near the Tin Hau MTR station in Hong Kong on Aug 18, 2019, in the latest opposition to a planned extradition law that has since morphed into a wider call for democratic rights in the semi-autonomous city. (Photo: LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA / AFP) 



An exhausted protester (C) receives assistance from medics at the Tin Hau MTR station in Hong Kong on Aug 18, 2019, during a rally in the latest opposition to a planned extradition law that has since morphed into a wider call for democratic rights in the semi-autonomous city. (Photo: LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA / AFP) ​​​​​​​



Ten weeks of demonstrations have plunged the financial hub into crisis with images of masked black-clad protesters engulfed by tear gas during street battles with riot police stunning a city once renowned for its stability.

Communist-ruled mainland China has taken an increasingly hardline tone towards the protesters, decrying the "terrorist-like" actions of a violent hardcore minority among the demonstrators.

Despite the near-nightly clashes with police, the movement has won few concessions from Beijing or the city's unelected leadership.

On Tuesday, protesters blocked passengers from boarding flights at the city's airport and later assaulted two men they accused of being Chinese spies.

The images damaged a campaign that until then had largely targeted the police or government institutions, and prompted an apology from some of the protest groups.

Sunday's rally at the city's Victoria Park is an attempt to wrestle the narrative of the protest back.

It is a "rational, non-violent" demonstration, according to organiser Civil Human Rights Front, the driving force behind record-breaking rallies in June and July that saw hundreds of thousands of people hit the streets.

Police have given permission for the rally to go ahead but banned a proposed march.

Previous bans on marches have been ignored by protesters, leading to clashes with riot police.

"We expect a huge number of participants ... we hope to show to the world Hong Kong people can be totally peaceful," Bonnie Leung, a spokeswoman for the Civil Human Rights Front told reporters.

"If Beijing and Hong Kong's tactic is to wait for our movement to die, they are wrong ... we will soldier on."

China's propaganda apparatus has seized on the weeks of violence, with state media churning out a deluge of damning articles, pictures and videos.

State media also ran images of military personnel and armoured personnel carriers across the border in Shenzhen, prompting the United States to warn Beijing against sending in troops.

Analysts say any intervention by Chinese security forces would be a reputational and economic disaster for China.

During smaller protest marches on Saturday - which ended without large-scale clashes - many protesters chanted "See you in Victoria Park!" as they left the streets.

Tens of thousands of protesters massed in the park as the rally started on Sunday afternoon, while many others thronged the nearby streets in a show of defiance expected to stretch into the evening.

"We have tried many times with peaceful approaches ... I really hope the government can listen to us."

The unprecedented political crisis was sparked by opposition to a plan to allow extraditions to the mainland.

But protests have since morphed into a wider call for democratic rights in the semi-autonomous city.

Under a deal signed with Britain, authoritarian China agreed to allow Hong Kong to keep its unique freedoms when it was handed back in 1997.

But many Hong Kongers feel those freedoms are being chipped away, especially since China's hardline president Xi Jinping came to power.

In the last two months millions of people have hit the streets.

Battles between police firing tear gas and rubber bullets - and hardcore protesters using rocks, Molotov cocktails and slingshots - have since become routine in the city.

Both sides trade the blame for provoking the violence.

Beyond suspending the extradition Bill, Beijing and city leader Carrie Lam have shown no desire to meet key demands such as an inquiry into police violence, the complete withdrawal of the Bill and an amnesty.

Beijing has turned the screws on Hong Kong's businesses, pressuring them to toe the line and condemn the protesters.

On Friday, Cathay Pacific announced the shock resignation of CEO Rupert Hogg after the carrier was excoriated by Beijing because some staff supported the pro-democracy protests.

A day later the "Big Four" accountancy firms scrambled to distance themselves from an advert placed in a newspaper purportedly by employees saying they supported the protests. </s> Hong Kong police fired water cannon on anti-government protesters in an unprecedented move on Sunday, after an initially peaceful march through a residential district in the western Kowloon peninsula took a violent turn.

Two crowd-control vehicles were dispatched after protesters earlier took control of a major road, where thousands stood behind barricades and shielded themselves from police tear gas with umbrellas.

The vehicles chased protesters for several hundred metres before they dispersed into surrounding side streets and a nearby mall.

Tseun Wan is best known for its tower-block housing estates and new office blocks, but on Sunday its streets descended into chaos as protesters threw a number of petrol bombs and bricks at riot police.

A police officer fired a gun into the air at around 8 pm (1200 GMT) after he was surrounded by eight to 10 protesters, according to a district council protest monitor.

The clashes were some of the most intense yet in Hong Kong since protests began on June 9 against a legislative bill that would have allowed for criminal extradition to mainland China, which has a separate legal system from Hong Kong.

Protesters braved the heat and smog on Saturday, only to march through intermittent heavy rains on Sunday.

As demonstrations enter their 12th week, protesters said they are still as determined as ever to protest against the government as they see themselves taking a last stand against political repression from China.

“It’s a last chance. I think the government’s control will be tighter and tighter and I don’t think they will let loose.

”So this could possibly be our last chance to fight,” said protester Phoenix Ip, who attended a police-sanctioned march through western Kowloon with her 2-year-old son and husband.

“I’m pretty pessimistic about the future – but we still have to try.

”At least we tried for our next generation,” she said.

Hong Kong is a former British colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1997, and its unique identity and semi-autonomous status remain important rallying points for protesters.

Many believe the city has seen a decline in civil and political rights since the failure of the 2014 democracy protests known as the Umbrella Movement.

“China doesn’t want to lose Hong Kong, they want Hong Kong to become part of China and act like Chinese people who just follow what the government tells them.

“I don’t think anyone wants to see that happen,” said protester Chevron Hor.

While China is yet to signal whether it will intervene with its military or police in Hong Kong, Beijing has put renewed pressure on Hong Kong companies to condemn anti-government protests.

Earlier this week the MTR Corporation, which runs Hong Kong’s subway system, received an injunction against protesters.

It said it may also suspend service without warning to stations where violent clashes occur.

Service at stations near Saturday and Sunday’s protests was also suspended.

The announcement follows commentary in Chinese state media accusing the MTR of colluding with protesters after extra trains were sent to help residents leave a violent protest in July.

The subway system has played a critical role in helping protesters to move about the city and evade police. (dpa/NAN) </s> Hong Kong's summer of discontent looks set to continue sizzling as organisers of yesterday's massive but peaceful rally said there would be another demonstration on Aug 31, and some students said they would boycott classes when the new term starts next month.

Mr Jimmy Sham, convener of the Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF), the group behind the larger protests since June 9, said it has applied for another march from Chater Garden in Central to Beijing's liaison office on the western side of Hong Kong Island on Aug 31.

Aug 31 is "the fifth anniversary of the National People's Congress's undemocratic and restrictive decision on universal suffrage in Hong Kong", the CHRF said.

Worries of more aggressive police tactics plagued student protesters and many told The Straits Times of their fears, but said they still intend to heed calls to boycott classes in September.

Ms Tse Ngo Yi, 25, a part-time sophomore at Education University of Hong Kong, said she would stay at protest venues for "as long as possible", adding: "My parents fully support my decision."

Mr Jeffrey Wong, 23, a final-year student at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, said he will skip classes, if necessary, to pressure the government to respond to the people's demands, including the withdrawal of the now-suspended extradition Bill. "They think that once the summer holidays end, we will have to go back to school, but today's turnout shows that they are mistaken."

However, others, like Hong Kong Baptist University student Ken Tsui, 23, are thinking twice about participating on the front lines. He told ST that the police have stepped up stop-and-search measures against young people. While it would not deter him from joining rallies, he tries not to stay out late.

"I'm ashamed to say that because it feels like I'm not giving my full support to the others, but I'm afraid for my safety as more than 700 people have been arrested."

The police have made some 750 arrests since the June 9 protests.

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology's associate professor Dixon Sing recounted that more than 100 people were arrested on Aug 11, and this has prompted front-line radicals to consider "the overall risks for mounting either a Hong Kong-wide protest or to concentrate in one area".

"The risks for both strategies would have been elevated because in the past they believed that if they have enough manpower to spread around, they can wear down the police. This tactic has proven to have failed given last Sunday's massive arrests," Prof Sing said.

Still, hundreds lingered in Harcourt Road late last night, after police issued a warning for thousands of them to disperse. The police said the protesters had "shot hard objects at the Central Government Complex with slingshots and aimed laser beams at police officers".

Earlier yesterday, protesters gathered at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay for the rally initiated by CHRF. The Front said 1.7 million turned up for the police-approved static rally despite the heavy rain. While police did not approve an accompanying march, thousands packed key roads from North Point to Central on Hong Kong Island. The weekend's protests were the first largely peaceful rallies in 11th straight weekends of demonstrations.

Police, however, put the turnout at Victoria Park at 128,000 people, at its peak, yesterday.

"Today has been peaceful, which is exactly what Carrie Lam asked for," Mr Sham said, referring to the Chief Executive. "Carrie Lam must respond to the five demands in order to show Hongkongers peaceful and rational expression can be heard, accepted and met... If she continues to turn a deaf ear, she is instigating more radical struggles."

A government spokesman noted that while the rally was largely peaceful, there were inconveniences caused to the public after protesters occupied key roads.
The organizers claim that at least 1.7 million people join a peaceful rally in Victoria Park, Hong Kong. Protesters spill into nearby streets, with train service intermittently suspended due to the sheer number of people.