Tag: Protest March

Handover Protest March, 1 July 2018

As Hong Kong turns 21 it’s unique identity is being choked to death as Beijing ramps up the Chinafication of the SAR. What should be a ‘coming of age’ party feels more like a wake.

Xi’s oppressive clampdown on free speech, extensive intrusion into and monitoring of personal lives and the rewarding of his cronies north of the border has been mirrored locally over the last twelve months. Dissenting voices have been jailed, opposing viewpoints hidden, expanding corruption goes unchecked and the pillaging of the HK governments coffers to reward supporters with generous contracts increases yet further.

The annual 1 July pro democracy march has become diluted and unfocused as hundreds of different groups look to raise cash and promote their individual messages and agendas.

With Hong Kong’s economy still fairly robust and Lam’s leadership anonymous and bland, democracy advocates lack the focal point of the easily vilified 689. Stamping on Lam’s face stuck to the road, lacks the visceral feel and satisfaction of stamping on 689.

Sadly at 21 Hong Kong is dead, like a fish out of water it struggles and flaps around unaware of it’s demise. What does the future hold for Hong Kong China? Sadly the portents are not good.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Democracy-March-1-July-2018/i-vtJtxfG

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Democracy-March-1-July-2018/i-8z3mcJF

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Democracy-March-1-July-2018/i-3VNvQGr

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Democracy-March-1-July-2018/i-knJmGfT

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Democracy-March-1-July-2018/i-9GND3cm

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Democracy-March-1-July-2018/i-7jr9psF

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Democracy-March-1-July-2018/i-M6vGqL8

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Democracy-March-1-July-2018/i-4Qdww3d

Click on any image for more photos.

Protest March – 1 July, 2017

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2017/Democracy-Protest-March-1-July-2017/i-sNLSnm9

Someone spent a massive amount of money to stage a 3 day Chinese space exploration exhibition in Victoria Park, even bringing an actual rocket. On the first day it was only open to select Mainlanders. For the last two it was seldom busy, mainly perhaps because it was patriotic first and foremost, informative a distant second.

Why is that relevant to the annual 1 July protest march – because it’s exactly that an annual march… And a big deal was made across local media about the march being cancelled because access to the park had been denied to the organisers. Not true, the gathering point was simply moved to the lawn, with massive police barricades ensuring that march and indoctrination could not meet.

A big deal is made over numbers, and they are important. But Hong Kong has never really had a political or protest culture. That one has properly evolved over the last few years is a true indication of the depth of Hong Kongers frustrations with incompetence, nepotism and increasing corruption. Most people are lazy and it needs something like tear gas – or in the case of pro-China groups cold hard cash and a free meal – to stir them. That so many do still turn out should be statement enough.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2017/Democracy-Protest-March-1-July-2017/i-2bjMQXS

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2017/Democracy-Protest-March-1-July-2017/i-dfXp6gk

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2017/Democracy-Protest-March-1-July-2017/i-jG49vzn

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2017/Democracy-Protest-March-1-July-2017/i-2knnzFz

1 July Protest March, 2016

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/1-July-Protest-March-2016/i-4RSvL65

The streets of Hong Kong were thronged with tens of thousands of protestors and protest groups as the annual 1 July protest march peacefully and bluntly displayed people’s anger at CY Leung and his incompetent group of Beijing loving sycophants.

That so many groups with such wide ranging causes can find common cause and anger at 689’s incompetence, greed and destruction of Hong Hong explains why Beijing is cracking down so hard on freedom of the press.

One of Hong Kong’s ‘disappeared’ bookseller Lam Wing-Kee was supposed to lead the march, but pulled out at the last minute over the personal safety fears for him and his family.

A heavy presence of fully armed, pepper spray carrying and gloved up police looked to make the day as irritating as possible for marchers, groups and the general public.
Click on any photo for the full gallery

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/1-July-Protest-March-2016/i-nW88QVN

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/1-July-Protest-March-2016/i-VHsfDBL

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/1-July-Protest-March-2016/i-LFkDtpr

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/1-July-Protest-March-2016/i-NwKCPvG

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/1-July-Protest-March-2016/i-dhShzV8

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/1-July-Protest-March-2016/i-Tt8jTDn

Hong Kong Indigenous March Against Questionable Arrests and Spurious Charges

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2015/HK-Indigenous-Protest-March/50872094_Qx2X6k#!i=4230428635&k=SCfvXMb

Hong Kong Indigenous march from Causeway Bay to the High Court in support of the protesters who were arrested in Yuen Long during the anti-smuggling protests earlier this year. Among those protestors is Ng Lai-ying who has been convicted of assaulting a police officer with her breasts. Even though there’s no video evidence to support the ‘alleged’ assault and plenty to show that Ng was thrown to the floor and assaulted by police giving her a bloody nose.

The 100m long march is a visual and vocal reminder of the double standards that now seem to apply in Hong Kong where the police and blue ribbon pro-Beijing supporters can break the law with impunity. While HongKongers face dubious charges backed with fabricated evidence – exposed by the courts.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2015/HK-Indigenous-Protest-March/50872094_Qx2X6k#!i=4230427187&k=sXVhwsZ

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2015/HK-Indigenous-Protest-March/50872094_Qx2X6k#!i=4230428633&k=ZDsj6pw

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2015/HK-Indigenous-Protest-March/50872094_Qx2X6k#!i=4230429780&k=DnfQs9J

1 July 2014 – Can You Hear the People Sing

http://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2014/1-July-2014-protest-march/42624168_jMqnT5#!i=3356472646&k=TGGG4Kq

http://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2014/1-July-2014-protest-march/42624168_jMqnT5#!i=3356469942&k=Hq6GT4x
Hundreds of thousands of Hongkongers took to the streets on the 17th anniversary of the establishment of the HK SAR to express their dissatisfaction with incompetent local politicians and chief executive CY Leung. The biggest protest march in a decade lasted over 8 hours and culminated in a peaceful sit-down protest in Central. #hongkong #689 #freedom

http://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2014/1-July-2014-protest-march/42624168_jMqnT5#!i=3356417532&k=P8WTNtj

http://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2014/1-July-2014-protest-march/42624168_jMqnT5#!i=3356418743&k=zfC2Pqv

http://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2014/1-July-2014-protest-march/42624168_jMqnT5#!i=3356428948&k=jNhHkHs

http://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2014/1-July-2014-protest-march/42624168_jMqnT5#!i=3356404646&k=XTjF7j2

http://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2014/1-July-2014-protest-march/42624168_jMqnT5#!i=3356435721&k=zVRfj8t

http://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2014/1-July-2014-protest-march/42624168_jMqnT5#!i=3356437594&k=W6Gfzxr

http://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2014/1-July-2014-protest-march/42624168_jMqnT5#!i=3356449412&k=8G8HvKR

http://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2014/1-July-2014-protest-march/42624168_jMqnT5#!i=3356453104&k=zLs3cft
click on the photos to see more

http://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2014/1-July-2014-protest-march/42624168_jMqnT5#!i=3356413018&k=hT53M2X