HONG KONG, July 14 (Reuters) ― Tens of thousands of Hong Kong people rallied for a second day on Sunday in an area popular with mainland Chinese shoppers, as deep-seated anger and frustration at the government’s handling of an extradition bill refuses to dissipate.
Demonstrators marched in heat of about 32 degrees Celsius (89.6°F) in Sha Tin, a town between Hong Kong island and the border with China, as the protests sweep outwards from the heart of the financial center into surrounding neighborhoods.
“These days there is really no trust of China, and so theprotesters come out,” said Jennie Kwan, 73.
“Didn’t they promise 50 years, no change? And yet we’ve all seen the changes. I myself am already 70-something years old.What do I know about politics? But politics comes to you.”
Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997 under a “one country, two systems” formula that guarantees its people freedoms for 50 years that are not enjoyed in mainland China, including the liberty to protest and an independent judiciary.
Beijing denies interfering in Hong Kong affairs, but many residents worry about what they see as an erosion of those freedoms and a relentless march toward mainland control.
Millions have taken to the streets over the past month in some of the largest and most violent protests in decades over an extradition bill that would allow people to be sent to mainlandChina for trial in courts controlled by the Communist Party.
Hong Kong’s embattled leader, Carrie Lam, has said the bill is “dead,” but opponents say they will settle for nothing short of its formal withdrawal.
Some protesters at Sunday’s event waved banners appealing to U.S. President Donald Trump to “Please liberate Hong Kong” and “Defend our Constitution.”
Some marchers beat drums, while others waved British and American flags, with banners calling for independence for Hong Kong flying from makeshift flagpoles.
Chants of “Carrie Lam go to hell,” rang through the crowd.
The protests have fueled the former British colony’s biggest political crisis since China regained control of HongKong, and pose a direct challenge to authorities in Beijing.
“I never missed a march so far since June,” said a 69-year-old man who gave only his surname, Chen, referring to the wave of protests.
“I support the youngsters, they have done something we haven’t done. There is nothing we can do to help them, but come out and march to show our appreciation and support.”
Critics see the now-suspended extradition bill as a threat to the rule of law. Protesters are also demanding that Lam step down and want an independent investigation into complaints of police brutality.
One woman, in her mid-50s, said protesters had harassed her after she tried to defend the police, whom activists described as “dogs.”
“It’s verbal violence,” said the woman, who gave her name only as Catherine. “People just surrounded me and shouted rudelanguage and that makes me feel I am living in fear.”
On Saturday, a largely peaceful demonstration in a town close to the Chinese border turned violent as protesters hurled umbrellas and hardhats at police, who retaliated by swinging batons and firing pepper spray.
The government condemned violence during Saturday’s protests against so-called “parallel traders” from the mainland who buy goods in bulk in Hong Kong, to carry into China for profit.
It said that during the last 18 months it had arrested 126mainland visitors suspected of infringing the terms of their stay by engaging in parallel trading, and barred about 5,000mainland Chinese also suspected of involvement.
Earlier on Sunday, hundreds of journalists joined a silent march to demand better treatment from police at protests.
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