Hong Kong protesters mark six months since pivotal clash with police

A man holds a placard as anti-government office workers attend a lunch time protest in Hong Kong, China - Reuters 

Hong Kong (Reuters): Thousands of Hong Kong protesters gathered on Thursday to mark six months since their first major clash with police, when they blocked legislators from advancing an extradition bill that has since been scrapped.

On 12 June, police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protesters occupying roads near the legislative council just as it was to give a second reading to the bill that would have allowed criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China, where courts are controlled by the Communist Party.

After the clash, the council reading was indefinitely postponed and the bill later formally withdrawn. But outrage caused by the police response contributed to the unrest evolving into a broader movement calling for greater democracy.

Demonstrators’ demands now include universal suffrage and an independent inquiry into the police handling of the protests. Police have described their actions as reactive and restrained.

On Thursday, several thousand Hong Kongers of all ages gathered in a central park in the heart of the Chinese-ruled city’s financial district for to mark the event, starting with a moment of silence.

“12 June was a turning point in this movement,” said Mark Chou, a 24-year-old engineer in the crowd. “We had a 1 million people peaceful march on 9 June, but the government was still pushing the bill forward at that time. This experience taught us peaceful protest would not work in this city.”

Organisers were collecting Christmas cards to be sent to people arrested during demonstrations in the past six months. Another core demand of the protesters is an amnesty for the more than 6,000 people arrested since June.

“We should never forget those who have sacrificed themselves fighting for Hong Kong people’s freedom. If frontliners did not surround (the council) and stop the second reading, the bill would have passed,” said Mandy Chan, 23, a teaching assistant.

Her card read: “When you feel desperate, please keep your faith because we are all waiting for you and Hong Kong will be brighter when you are free to go.”

Elsewhere, hundreds queued at Tai Wai Po Fook Memorial Hall to lay flowers and mourn last month’s death of Chow Tsz-lok, a 22-year-old student who fell from the third floor of a parking lot as protesters were being scattered by police.

In a sign the movement retains broad support, pro-democracy candidates won almost 90 percent of the seats in district council elections last month, while a peaceful march on Sunday drew 800,000 demonstrators, according to organisers, though police estimated the crowd at fewer than 200,000.

On Thursday morning, Hong Kong police said they arrested three people overnight - a 15-year-old girl, a 16-year-old boy and a 29-year-old man - in connection with vandalising public buses. A fourth person escaped, police said.

According to police reports the four boarded buses, pressed the emergency buttons, then began smashing windows with hammers.

Police also said they received reports that five people threw petrol bombs at a Japanese restaurant on the street level of a shopping mall. There were no reported injuries.

Police said several other people started a fire at a street junction in Mong Kok, an area that has regularly been the site of clashes between protesters and police.