Outsiders think that Only Money is in the Hong Kongers DNA. But Hong Kongers care more about Freedom (Speech, Religion, Press, Peaceful Assembly, and Petition the Government), and Democracy – which Mainland Chinese don’t have.
 
This ‘million-strong’ march is especially significant 5 days after the June 4th Tiananmen Square 30th Memorial
 
Why did Hongkongers join ‘million-strong’ march to protest extradition bill? It’s about protecting freedom, and it’s in their DNA.
 
* March stirs memories of 2003 protest and invigorates pro-democracy camp.
 
* Both mass demonstrations show defiance of city’s residents.
 
“We know our street protest today is not going to change anything, but we are here to fight for democracy in Hong Kong and to show that we still have a voice,” she said.
 
That was in 2003, when sixth former Chan spoke to the Post during the march against the national security legislation that brought half a million people to the streets.
 
Many stayed true to their DNA as Hongkongers, exercising their freedom, and taking to the streets to send a message.
 
“Those in power should have protected their people.”
 
Overseas, protests were being staged in more than 20 cities worldwide.

“The swift and strong reactions around the world have also provided a great boost for Hongkongers,” Wu said.
 
While comparisons with the 2003 march were inevitable, Sunday’s turnout was also a bittersweet reunion for the pro-democracy camp, which had splintered after the Occupy movement of 2014 dissipated in failure. The 79-day sit-in was meant to be a battle against Beijing’s restrictive stance on electoral reforms. But far from softening, the central government took a hardline view on Occupy, and tightened its grip on the city.

Edmund Cheng Wai, a political scientist at Baptist University, said Sunday’s march was a remarkable chapter in the city’s history. He said Hongkongers – young, old and across the political spectrum – had come together to fight one single cause, in contrast to the 2003 march.

“Protesters still want to make a statement even though Beijing has already made its call to back the bill,” he said. “They fear they would lose their rights to speak up following the passage of the bill. They want to execute and treasure that right – and that is what has made Hong Kong special.”

#RobertReview (Hong Kong Politics): 9 | 10

Hashtags:
#HongKongExtradictionBill
#TiananmenSquareMemorial
#HongKongProtests

Published: 10th June 2019.

Source: SCMP

Why did Hongkongers join ‘million-strong’ march to protest extradition bill? It’s about protecting freedom, and it’s in their DNA

 

 

 

 

Don’t Mess with Hong Kongers’ Freedom. We are not Mainland Chinese.

Outsiders think that only MONEY is in the Hong Kongers’ DNA. But Hong Kongers care more about Freedom in Speech, Religion, Press, Peaceful Assembly, and Petition the Government, and Democracy – which Mainland Chinese don’t have.