HONG KONG, China (AFP) – Thousands of pro-democracy protesters hit the streets of Hong Kong for the 10th weekend in a row yesterday, once again defying police after a night of “hit-and-run” rallies across the city.
Activists calling for greater democratic freedoms in the city have shown no sign of standing down, despite Hong Kong’s leader insisting she will not meet their demands.
Early yesterday afternoon, hundreds of protesters were gathered in the city’s Victoria Park, braving hot and humid conditions and a police ban on the demonstration following a planned march route from the park.
“The police should try their best to maintain public security instead of rejecting our request to march,” said a 25-year-old protester who gave only her family name, Wong.
“We’re still here… and we’ll see if we feel like marching later. We won’t worry that much about illegal assembly. We still have our rights,” she said.
Police have given protesters a permit to gather at the park, but denied their request to stage a march through an eastern part of Hong Kong Island.
They also denied protesters a permit for a second protest in the city’s working class neighbourhood of Sham Shui Po, but a rally was also underway there.
“It will be no good for Hong Kong if everyone is scared and no one dares to come out,” Wong said. “We should have freedom from fear.”
The fresh protests come after a night of cat-and-mouse demonstrations around the city, with protesters taking their mantra of flexible action – “Be Water” – to new heights.
Groups of protesters sporting helmets and gas masks, dressed in their movement’s signature black, blocked intersections across the city for hours throughout the night.
In several locations, riot police fired tear gas, and 16 people were arrested, but the rallies largely avoided the lengthy pitched battles between the two sides that have been seen in recent weeks.
Protesters said they were adopting a new strategy to try to minimize direct confrontations with police.
“Our aim is no injuries, no bleeding and not getting arrested,” said a 17-year-old student protester who gave his family name as Chan.
“I think our previous tactics of staying in one place led to many arrests and injuries… We need to ‘be water’ to avoid injuries,” he told AFP at the Victoria Park gathering.
