News: Turnout Dwindles at Hong Kong Democracy March.

    July  1, 2005 
   

 

A protester carries a girl on his shoulders during a protest as thousands of people, most of them demanding democracy, march on a Hong Kong downtown street Friday. (AP/Vincent Yu)

HONG KONG (AP) – Thousands gathered Friday for an annual democracy
march held on the eighth anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese
rule, a small fraction of the half million people who participated
during the previous two years.

Police said they counted 11,000 at the march’s starting point, while
the organizers said a total of 21,000 turned out for the event.

Many believe the democracy movement lost some steam last year after
Beijing snuffed out hopes that Hong Kongers would soon be allowed to
directly elect their leader and entire legislature.

New leader Donald Tsang celebrated the handover at a morning
reception, where he said that the public has become more patriotic and
that ties with mainland China were closer.

The reception was briefly interrupted by radical legislator Leung
Kwok-hung, who yelled, "Return power to the people." Security guards
quickly dragged him out as he shouted slogans.

Leung said many potential pro-democracy protesters stayed home
because "they want to give Donald Tsang some time to respond to
problems."

Also Friday, another large crowd gathered at Hong Kong Stadium for a
patriotic parade with traditional lion dancers, marching bands, people
dressed in Chinese opera costumes and marchers of all ages carrying
small Chinese flags made of paper. Organizers said about 20,000 turned
out, but police had no estimates.

Bonnie Lai, 27, a clerk, said, "I’m here to celebrate. Beijing has
already ruled out direct elections. What’s the point of coming out to
protest?"

Philip Lee, 28, a technical officer, said he supports democracy –
but it should evolve gradually over the next 20 years. "I want Hong
Kong to be a more harmonious society," he said.

The pro-democracy protesters streamed into Victoria Park to "vote"
in a mock referendum on whether Hong Kong should have full democracy –
also denied voters when Hong Kong was a British colony. Organizers said
about 7,500 valid ballots were cast and 99 per cent favoured direct
elections for the leader and all legislators.

Some protesters carried a huge yellow banner that said, "Democracy,
fight for a popular election." Others held signs that called Tsang a
Beijing puppet – accusing him of being tightly controlled by Chinese
leaders.

The crowd – which also included gay rights, labour and migrant
worker groups – walked for about two hours to government headquarters,
where a rally was held.

"Hong Kong people are not just economic animals. We need democracy, freedoms and human rights," said protester Tina So, 50.

Protester Cheung Cheuk-wei, an unemployed 48-year-old, said, "I’m
here to fight for democracy. I want to tell the government we have this
demand."

Alfred Poon, 62, a teacher, also wanted speedy political reforms and
said he wasn’t discouraged by China’s refusal to allow full democracy
now.

"The fact that they have rejected our demands means we have to continue the fight," Poon said.

Tsang told the morning reception, "Never has the bond of flesh and
blood, the interdependency between Hong Kong and the mainland been so
real to us."

The Chinese government’s "support for Hong Kong is not empty talk," he said.

"Its action has spoken loud and clear throughout the last eight
years. Nor is the patriotism of the Hong Kong people mere lip service."