Hong Kong protests: China flag desecrated as fresh unrest erupts
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The BBC's Stephen McDonell surveys the damage at a shopping centre as riot police arrive |
Activists in Hong Kong have desecrated a Chinese flag and vandalised a shopping centre on the 16th straight weekend of anti-government protests.
Escalators and glass panels were targeted at the New Town Plaza in Sha Tin. Police have closed it and fired tear gas at brick-throwing protesters.
Police earlier prevented major unrest on the airport metro system.
The protests were sparked by a now-withdrawn extradition bill but morphed into a wider pro-democracy campaign.
Issues such as universal suffrage, a demand for an inquiry into police actions and the alleged involvement of gangs in countering the protests have come to the fore.
The campaign, mostly conducted by young people, was peaceful to start with but has become increasingly violent.
The unrest has become the biggest challenge to China's rule since Hong Kong's sovereignty was handed back by Britain in 1997.
Hong Kong is part of China, but enjoys "special freedoms". Those are set to expire in 2047, and many in Hong Kong don't want to become "another Chinese city".
Escalators and glass panels were targeted at the New Town Plaza in Sha Tin. Police have closed it and fired tear gas at brick-throwing protesters.
Police earlier prevented major unrest on the airport metro system.
The protests were sparked by a now-withdrawn extradition bill but morphed into a wider pro-democracy campaign.
Issues such as universal suffrage, a demand for an inquiry into police actions and the alleged involvement of gangs in countering the protests have come to the fore.
The campaign, mostly conducted by young people, was peaceful to start with but has become increasingly violent.
The unrest has become the biggest challenge to China's rule since Hong Kong's sovereignty was handed back by Britain in 1997.
Hong Kong is part of China, but enjoys "special freedoms". Those are set to expire in 2047, and many in Hong Kong don't want to become "another Chinese city".
What happened on Sunday?
The unsanctioned rally at the New Town Plaza started on a small scale and peacefully.
Video footage then showed a Chinese flag being trampled by protesters before being carried out and thrown into a river.
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Riot police moved in as the unrest worsened at the New Town Plaza shopping centre Image copyright REUTERS |
Masked protesters used fire extinguishers to smash the glass of information maps, then sprayed water and threw rubbish bins down escalators. Pro-mainland businesses were reportedly targeted.
Riot police closed down the mall and the linked metro station in Sha Tin, a city in the New Territories north of Hong Kong Island.
Outside, protesters started ripping up pavement bricks and throwing them at police, who fired tear gas in response.
A barricade was set on fire elsewhere in Sha Tin.
The luxury Elements shopping centre in Kowloon was also closed as police and protesters squared off, the South China Morning Post reported.
Riot police closed down the mall and the linked metro station in Sha Tin, a city in the New Territories north of Hong Kong Island.
Outside, protesters started ripping up pavement bricks and throwing them at police, who fired tear gas in response.
A barricade was set on fire elsewhere in Sha Tin.
The luxury Elements shopping centre in Kowloon was also closed as police and protesters squared off, the South China Morning Post reported.
"China flag desecrated"...
ReplyDeletewakakaka.. the US flag is frequenty trampled upon and burned both within and outside the country,, and nobody terms it "desecration".
bbc do report so wheres the beef?
ReplyDelete"wakakaka.. the US flag is frequenty trampled upon and burned both within and outside the country, and nobody terms it "desecration"."
ReplyDelete!!!!!
Have u actually read anything about that description that US flag is not been desecrated?
Come to us, especially the Bible States, then u would know the fart that u never know existed!
BBC reported! In what mannerism?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-2Rr8hZK2aQ
Western media twist is always golden shit for meet like u.
u can choose to read or not to read bbc, no one restrict yr right of doing so, unlike the ccp greatwall that treat it people like idiot n zombie.
ReplyDeleteReading now what WhatsApp, Twitter & western medias doing to the HK reports, what's the difference with the CCP greatwall?
DeleteAt least CCP is honest in doing so!
What the western medias do R a disgrace to what they keep changing about freedom of speech!
Only idiot & zombies like u buy what they r selling!
its private enterprise, they do what they wanna do, lu ada paham the diff?
DeleteWakakakaka…
DeletePrivate enterprises!
Wakakakakaka…
Only 岩里政男 styled moron buy that!
Same lah macam 你民我主.
Do u honestly know the differences?
Mfer, do a reality check lah!
Delete1) why Google was fined billions by Eu?
2) why Facebook had to face US Congress enquiry?
Is it bcoz they do what they wanna do?
& under yr grandiose understanding of private enterprise, as known in yr demoncracy, WHY should these govts interfere?
What's the difference between what the CCP China does & these so called 'liberal' govts do?
Mfer, it's know as preventive is better than cure!
CCP China operates preventive measures to protect her citizen while these western administrations ONLY know how to fight fire when it's a raging flame where millions of their citizen's interests r been compromised!
But what can u see, EXCEPT in yr silo hatred-distorted view of namesaking 你民我主 demoncracy!
Sigh~~ China should just let these wankers trash hongkong all they want. Police should withdraw. Let them have their fun! Its just a matter of time before they get purged by other communities.. Let the civil war begin already! Once hongkong burn. Let it be burnt for a few decades. A lesson will be learned and the truth shall set you free! LOL!
ReplyDelete