More mass protests planned in Hong Kong after peaceful weekend of rallies

Hong Kong is gearing up for more protests this week after hundreds of thousands of anti-government demonstrators braved heavy rain to rally peacefully on Sunday, marking a change to what have often been violent clashes.

>>Reuters
Published : 19 August 2019, 02:34 AM
Updated : 19 August 2019, 02:42 AM

Sunday’s turnout of an estimated 1.7 million, according to the rally’s organiser, showed that the movement still has broad-based support despite chaotic scenes last week when protesters occupied the Chinese-ruled city’s airport, for which some activists apologised.

The protests began more than 11 weeks ago as opposition to a now-suspended bill that would allow suspects to be extradited to mainland China for trial in Communist Party-controlled courts and have swelled into wider calls for democracy.

Further demonstrations are planned in coming weeks, including another strike in districts across the former British colony.

Police said on Monday that while the demonstration was mostly peaceful, acts of “breaching public peace” happened afterwards with some protesters shooting hard objects at government offices and aiming laser beams at police officers.