Hong Kong erupts in protest as China seeks to tighten grip on it via new legislation
The protesters battled with riot police in downtown areas, showing their opposition toward China’s dramatic move to crack down on dissent in the biggest demonstration since the coronavirus swept through the city in January.
New Delhi: Thousands of people assembled on Hong Kong streets, to protest against the controversial security law proposed by China last week.
The protesters battled with riot police in downtown areas, showing their opposition toward China’s dramatic move to crack down on dissent in the biggest demonstration since the coronavirus swept through the city in January.
More than 100 people were arrested while police had to resort to tear gas and pepper spray to disperse the protestors.
China’s clampdown on Hong Kong
The proposal threatens to erode the freedom that distinguishes the financial hub from the rest of the country. The Times reported that the move could also inflame worries that Beijing is trying to dismantle the distinct political and cultural identity that has defined the former British colony since it was reclaimed by China in 1997.
#HongKong police say they made 170 arrests during sunday’s anti-national security law protests. https://t.co/4ipdPLUFIf Photos: @studioincendo. pic.twitter.com/a6ZaIldANd
— Hong Kong Free Press HKFP (@HongKongFP) May 24, 2020
The legislation would allow Beijing to take aim at the large often violent anti-government protests that roiled Hong Kong for much of last year.
However, China has defended the proposal saying that such legislations are necessary to protect the country’s sovereignty from external forces determined to undermine the Communist Party.