Hong Kong protesters stage massive, defiant rally

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By KELVIN CHAN and JOANNA CHIU

HONG KONG (AP) — Pro-democracy protesters were defiant in the face of attacks by opponents and warnings by the Hong Kong government to clear the streets, staging a massive rally Saturday evening in the downtown business district they've occupied for a week.

"Democracy now! Democracy in Hong Kong!" thousands chanted as speakers from the movement seeking wider political reforms for this former British colony urged them to persist in their campaign. The rally lasted hours, with participants at times clapping and cheering as a stream of speakers and singers addressed them and performed popular songs.

"We are not seeking revolution. We just want democracy!" said Joshua Wong, a 17-year-old student leader. "We hope there will be no violence," he said. "It would be unfortunate if this movement ended with bloodshed and violence."

After the rally ended, people grew nervous due to rumors that police would act to clear out the protesters in the middle of the night. But big crowds still filled the protest area after midnight.

FULL story at link.



A religious group prays for a peaceful resolution in the pro-democracy protest site near the government compound, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2014 in Hong Kong. Early Saturday, the Hong Kong Federation of Students, one of the groups leading the demonstrations that drew tens of thousands of people earlier this week, said they saw no choice but to cancel the dialogue they had agreed to after Hong Kong's Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying's proposed talks. They demanded the government hold someone responsible for the scuffles Friday, the worst disturbances since police used tear gas and pepper spray to try to disperse the protesters the weekend before. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20141004/as--hong_kong-democracy_protest-12bf0fb170.html

[deutsey]

1. I'm hoping this won't turn out like Tiananmen Square

As I was in '89: solidarity with the demonstrators.

[pangaia]

2. I doubt it will.

It is too visible.

[deutsey]

3. I'm hoping you're right, but the events leading up to the '89 massacre

were quite visible, too.

Of course, the first Bush regime told the Butchers of Beijing that all that blood in the street wouldn't have an impact on bidness.

[pangaia]

4. 1989 was not as visible as HK would be.

Even in China.
If anything like June 4th happened, the Chinese people would know through instant social media, even with the Chinese government firewalls.

In 1989 many cities had demonstrations similar to that in Beijing, although often on a different scale.
My ex-wife was a student in 1989 and was involved in shutting down the entire city of Xi'an. She had heard of a few deaths in Beijing, but had no idea of the extent of it, nor had she even seen the infamous 'tank guy.' until she came to the US in 2007 and I showed her a Youtube video. She was devastated by it.
That couldn't happen today.

On the other hand, if the Chinese government lets the Hong Kong protesters get what they want, that encourages Mainland Chinese to want the same. This is why they crack down so hard on Tibet and Xinjiang.