{"id":7393,"date":"2018-01-05T12:54:36","date_gmt":"2018-01-05T20:54:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/?p=7393"},"modified":"2018-01-05T12:58:35","modified_gmt":"2018-01-05T20:58:35","slug":"tough-year-hong-kong-democracy-protesters-sound-warning-china-new-years-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2018\/01\/05\/tough-year-hong-kong-democracy-protesters-sound-warning-china-new-years-day\/","title":{"rendered":"After tough year, Hong Kong democracy protesters sound warning to China on New Year&#8217;s day"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"ArticleHeader_container_2tb_t\">\n<div class=\"ArticleHeader_upper-container_3g5eM\">\n<div class=\"foreground\">\n<div class=\"TwoColumnLayout_container_385r0 TwoColumnLayout_fluid-left_3DYLH\">\n<div class=\"TwoColumnLayout_column_1uZPg TwoColumnLayout_left_qEP9d\">\n<div class=\"ArticleHeader_content-container_3Ma9y\">\n<div class=\"ArticleHeader_date_V9eGk\">\n<div class=\"ArticleHeader_container_2tb_t\">\n<div class=\"lower-container\">\n<div class=\"TwoColumnLayout_container_385r0 inner TwoColumnLayout_fluid-left_3DYLH\">\n<div class=\"TwoColumnLayout_column_1uZPg TwoColumnLayout_left_qEP9d\">\n<div class=\"ArticleHeader_content-container_3Ma9y\">\n<div class=\"BylineBar_first-container_1wTRC ArticleHeader_byline-bar_2egLq\">\n<div class=\"BylineBar_border-wrap_2Jm9i\">\n<div class=\"BylineBar_byline_31BCV\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/journalists\/donny-kwok\">Donny Kwok<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/journalists\/wyman-ma\">Wyman Ma<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>JANUARY 1, 2018 (Reuters.com)<\/p>\n<p>HONG KONG (Reuters) &#8211; After a year that saw democracy advocates in Hong Kong jailed and ousted from public office, thousands marched through the streets of Hong Kong on New Year\u2019s Day to warn China not to meddle further in the city\u2019s affairs and undermine its autonomy.<\/p>\n<div class=\"PrimaryAsset_container_2pnvl video\">\n<div class=\"Video_container_36jK9\">\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/queso-cdn.prod.reuters.tv\/new\/index.html?autoplay=true&amp;muted=true&amp;countdown=true&amp;preroll=true&amp;proll=iuuq%3A%2F%2Fqvcbet.h.epvcmfdmjdl.ofu%2Fhbnqbe%2Fbet%3Fta%3D3y3%26jv%3D%2F4735792%2Fwjefp.vt.sfvufst%2Fxpsme%2Fbsujdmf%26djv_tat%3D300y250%2C1500y692%26dvtu_qbsbnt%3DwjefpJe%253E377757590%2526uzqf%253Ebsujdmf_qsfspmm%2526begsjfoemz%253Eusvf%26jnqm%3Dt%26hegq_sfr%3D1%26fow%3Dwq%26pvuqvu%3Dynm_wbtu3%26vowjfxfe_qptjujpo_tubsu%3D1%26dpssfmbups%3D7435500565849551%26vsm%3Diuuq%3A%2F%2Fvt.sfvufst.dpn%26eftdsjqujpo_vsm%3Dxxx.sfvufst.dpn%2Fbsujdmf%2Fvt-ofxzfbs-ipohlpoh-qspuftut%2Fbgufs-upvhi-zfbs-ipoh-lpoh-efnpdsbdz-qspuftufst-tpvoe-xbsojoh-up-dijob-po-ofx-zfbst-ebz-jeVTLCO1FR0ZA&amp;poster=%2F%2Fajo.prod.reuters.tv%2Fapi%2Fv2%2Fimg%2F5a4b46d3e4b01cce51a25509-1514882771710%3FvideoId%3DRCV004AVQ%26location%3DLANDSCAPE&amp;mid=RCV004AVQ&amp;title=Thousands%20rally%20in%20Hong%20Kong%20against%20Beijing&amp;suppress_ads=false&amp;suppress_rtv=false&amp;source=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-newyear-hongkong-protests%2Fafter-tough-year-hong-kong-democracy-protesters-sound-warning-to-china-on-new-years-day-idUSKBN1EQ0YZ&amp;chartbeat_uid=52639&amp;chartbeat_domain=preview.reuters.com&amp;region=US&amp;draggable=true&amp;hide_title=false&amp;allow_collapse=true\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Over the past year, Hong Kong, a former British colony which returned to Chinese rule in 1997, has experienced what critics and pro-democracy activists describe as an intensifying assault on its autonomy by China\u2019s Communist Party leaders.<\/p>\n<p>This is despite Beijing\u2019s promises to grant the city wide-ranging freedoms including an independent judiciary, under a so-called \u201cone country, two systems\u201d framework.<\/p>\n<p>Besides the controversial jailing of several prominent young activists for unlawful assembly over the massive 2014 \u201cOccupy\u201d pro-democracy protests, authorities also ejected six pro-democracy lawmakers from the legislature for failing to take proper oaths of office.<\/p>\n<p>The city\u2019s reputation as one of Asia\u2019s most robust legal jurisdictions has also come under a cloud amidst accusations of a politicization of certain legal cases.<\/p>\n<p>The protesters, who included many middle-aged and elderly citizens, held up banners and chanted the march\u2019s main theme to \u201cProtect Hong Kong\u201d during a walk of several kilometers to the city\u2019s government headquarters.<\/p>\n<p>Others decried an unprecedented move by China\u2019s parliament last week that said part of a high-speed railway station being built in Hong Kong would be regarded as mainland territory governed by mainland laws.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are here to tell the government that we will not give up,\u201d said Joshua Wong, one of the democracy activists jailed last year, but who is now out on bail pending an appeal.<span style=\"font-size: 12px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"Image_container_1tVQo\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span class=\"Image_caption_KoNH1\">Pro-democracy protesters gather inside civic square, reopened for the first time since Occupy Central movement in 2014, at the government headquarters in Hong Kong, China January 1, 2018. REUTERS\/Bobby Yip<\/span><\/div>\n<p>\u201cWe have encountered many difficulties last year, including some of us being sued and jailed, but we will stand with Hong Kong people. We will fight for the rule of law, fight for Hong Kong, fight for the future, fight for the next generations.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Two protesters who dressed up as People\u2019s Liberation Army soldiers said they were concerned about the reach of China\u2019s security apparatus. Others called for full democracy as the only lasting means to safeguard the city\u2019s way of life.<\/p>\n<p>The organizers of the march said some 10,000 people had showed up. Police, however, put the figure at 6,200.<\/p>\n<div class=\"Slideshow_inline-container_1QqKC Slideshow_mega_19SOz\">\n<div class=\"Slideshow_preview-container_3qYlY\">\n<figure>\n<div class=\"LazyImage_container_1Z7A0\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The demonstration was largely peaceful, though some protesters who tried to later gather in a forecourt of the government\u2019s headquarters skirmished briefly with security guards.<\/p>\n<p>The so-called \u201cCivic Square\u201d was where the 2014 pro-democracy protests first kicked off when a group of protesters stormed over a fence and faced off with local police.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the defiance on show, some said they feared Hong Kong would continue to be squeezed by Beijing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEveryone\u2019s doing what they can,\u201d said Andy Lau who was among the marchers. \u201cIf we have the right to demonstrate then we should. But I\u2018m not feeling positive. I think things will get worse.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Hong Kong government, in a statement, said it \u201cfully respects the right of Hong Kong people to take part in processions and their freedom of expression\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>China\u2019s leader Xi Jinping has said that while Hong Kong enjoys a high degree of autonomy under \u201cone country, two systems\u201d, Beijing still holds supreme authority over the city and won\u2019t tolerate any challenge to its authority.<\/p>\n<div class=\"Attribution_attribution_o4ojT\">\n<p class=\"Attribution_content_27_rw\"><em>Additional reporting by Chermaine Lee; Writing by James Pomfret; Editing by Adrian Croft<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"StandardArticleBody_trustBadgeContainer_1gqgJ\"><em><span class=\"StandardArticleBody_trustBadgeTitle_7sKLj\">Our Standards:<\/span><span class=\"trustBadgeUrl\"><a href=\"http:\/\/thomsonreuters.com\/en\/about-us\/trust-principles.html\">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"DPSlot_container_2dHIN StandardArticleBody_dp-slot-inline_eUPBt\" data-ad-type=\"dianomi\"><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Donny Kwok,\u00a0Wyman Ma JANUARY 1, 2018 (Reuters.com) HONG KONG (Reuters) &#8211; After a year that saw democracy advocates in Hong Kong jailed and ousted from public office, thousands marched through the streets of Hong Kong on New Year\u2019s Day to warn China not to meddle further in the city\u2019s&#8230; <a class=\"continue-reading-link\" href=\"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2018\/01\/05\/tough-year-hong-kong-democracy-protesters-sound-warning-china-new-years-day\/\"> Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr; <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7393"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7393"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7393\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7398,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7393\/revisions\/7398"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7393"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7393"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7393"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}