Hong Kong protesters rallied in their thousands and clashed with police in fresh unrest. They also called on Washington to ‘free’ them from Chinese rule, suggesting some may now view the US as their patron.
Thousands of demonstrators marched to the US Consulate in Hong Kong on Sunday, in what they said was an appeal to President Donald Trump to intervene in the weeks-long political turmoil. Videos of the rally show protesters waving American flags as they sing the US national anthem and play ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ through the speakers on their phones.
People reiterated their call on the US to pass the ‘Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act’. The legislation, proposed by a bipartisan group of American lawmakers, would require Washington to annually assess Hong Kong’s level of autonomy from Beijing and react with economic countermeasures if self-rule is compromised.
Demonstrators also unfurled banners to drum up support for their cause – although questions have been raised about the factual accuracy of their messaging. According to the Global Times, a banner attached to an overpass erroneously claimed that “China owes America $1 trillion.”
#HK radical protesters fail to get the facts right on a banner which states that "China owes US$1 trillion." Here is a free lesson: As of May, the US owes China about $1.11 trillion, not the other way round. #香港pic.twitter.com/hky6WCDJqA
The ‘pro-democracy’ activists were interested in more than factually-challenged and symbolic gestures, however. Footage documented flagrant acts of vandalism targeting the city’s infrastructure and public transportation. In one video, a staircase was spray-painted with an inspiring message, “fight for freedom,” accompanied by a swastika.
The protesters – many of them masked and armed with metal rods and clubs – also erected street barricades, which were then set ablaze. Police used tear gas to disperse the unruly crowds.
Videos – not always publicized by the mainstream media – also show aftermath of vandalism as anti-government unrest enters its 14th week.
Beijing has repeatedly accused Washington of fueling the political turmoil, a claim that became more difficult to refute after a senior American diplomat was seen meeting with protest leaders.
With their direct appeal to Trump, it appears that many of the protesters are not interested in negotiating directly with the government. This, despite Hong Kong has already officially withdrawn the controversial extradition bill with China that sparked the unrest.
