{"id":195003,"date":"2016-07-02T01:39:17","date_gmt":"2016-07-02T08:39:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chinadigitaltimes.net\/?p=195003"},"modified":"2021-09-14T20:32:12","modified_gmt":"2021-09-15T03:32:12","slug":"protest-hk-tensions-simmer-booksellers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinadigitaltimes.net\/2016\/07\/protest-hk-tensions-simmer-booksellers\/","title":{"rendered":"Protests in HK Amid Tensions Over Detained Booksellers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of\u00a0Hong Kong on Friday<\/strong><\/a> for the territory’s annual pro-democracy march on July 1st, the anniversary of Hong Kong’s 1997 handover from British to Chinese rule. Tensions are high in the former British colony after bookseller Lam Wing-kee\u00a0revealed dramatic details of his eight-month detention in mainland China<\/a>.\u00a0Lam was one of five Causeway Bay booksellers who went missing<\/a> from Hong Kong last year and later turned up in mainland custody<\/a>. Many protestors on Friday expressed concern over the case of the five booksellers, which has raised serious questions about eroding freedoms in Hong Kong and the potential breakdown of the\u00a0\u201cone country, two systems\u201d deal. Venus Wu at Reuters reports:<\/p>\n

Tens of thousands of Hong Kong residents marched in protest on the 19th anniversary of the financial hub’s return to Chinese rule on Friday as tensions simmer against Chinese authorities over the abductions of Hong Kong booksellers.<\/p>\n

Some waved banners criticizing Beijing for the cross-border abductions as acts of a “totalitarian” regime, as well as calling for the release of leading dissidents, chanting for democracy and for Hong Kong leader Leung Chun-ying to step down.<\/p>\n

Several hundred scuffled with police outside Government House, with police using pepper spray to keep them back. Organizers said 110,000 people took part in the march, while police put the figure at 19,300.<\/p>\n

[…] The city has been unnerved over the past year by the disappearances of five booksellers who specialized in works critical of Chinese leaders. One of the men, Lam Wing-kee, who was detained for eight months by Chinese agents and released last month, criticized Beijing for “violating Hong Kong’s rights” through illegal cross-border enforcement operations.<\/p>\n

The tactics have raised fears of Communist Party rulers in Beijing eroding the so-called “one country, two systems” formula, granting Hong Kong a high degree of freedom and autonomy since its 1997 return from British to Chinese rule. [Source<\/strong><\/a>]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

TIME’s Rishi Iyengar tweeted photos from the march:<\/p>\n

\n

Crowd steadily growing, bookseller Lam Wing-kee top of many people's minds. #HongKong<\/a> #July1<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/O6qPHiG2S1<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/ovsy4pyd0c<\/a><\/p>\n

— Rishi Iyengar (@Iyengarish) July 1, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n