POST REFORM VOTE：DAY 13 (01-07-2015)

Occupy Central

Occupy Central is a civil disobedience movement which began in Hong Kong on September 28, 2014. It calls on thousands of protesters to block roads and paralyse Hong Kong's financial district if the Beijing and Hong Kong governments do not agree to implement universal suffrage for the chief executive election in 2017 and the Legislative Council elections in 2020 according to "international standards." The movement was initiated by Benny Tai Yiu-ting (戴耀廷), an associate professor of law at the University of Hong Kong, in January 2013.

Umbrella Movement

The Umbrella Movement (Chinese: 雨傘運動; pinyin: yǔsǎn yùndòng) is a loose political movement that was created spontaneously during the Hong Kong protests of 2014. Its name derives from the recognition of the umbrella as a symbol of defiance and resistance against the Hong Kong government, and the united grass-roots objection to the decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC) of 31 August.

The movement consists of individuals numbering in the tens of thousands who participated in the protests that began on 28 September 2014, although Scholarism, the Hong Kong Federation of Students, Occupy Central with Love and Peace,  groups are principally driving the demands for the rescission of the NPCSC decision.

Occupy Central site in Causeway Bay was cleared as police moved in  ...

Occupy Central site in an area surrounding the Legislative Council and Central Government Offices at Tamar were cleared 22-06-2015.

Hong Kong reform vote

The Hong Kong government’s political reform proposal for how the city elects its leader by universal suffrage for the first time in 2017 is based on a strict framework set by Beijing. The plan limits the number of candidates to two or three and requires them to win majority support from a 1,200 strong nominating committee. Arguing that this does not constitute genuine universal suffrage, pan-democratic lawmakers have vowed to reject the package, while pro-democracy groups have protested. The government’s resolution was to be put to a vote by the 70-member Legislative Council in June 2015, requiring a two-thirds majority to be passed.

POST OCCUPY CENTRAL - DAY 198

POST REFORM VOTE：DAY 13

Full coverage of the day’s events on 01-07

July 1 march

The annual July 1 march in Hong Kong marks the handover of the British colony to Beijing that took place in 1997. The  peaceful demonstration has become a rallying point for pro-democracy activists. The march captured the public's attention in 2003, when half a million marched, angered by proposed national security legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law.

Why Hongkongers still join July 1 march after Beijing-backed election plan was rejected

Observers said the turnout for this year's July 1 pro-democracy march - the first since last year's Occupy sit-ins - appeared to be the lowest for some years, with some blaming protest fatigue and the lack of an obvious goal after the government's political reform plan wa

Wednesday, 1 July, 2015, 7:39pm

Tired of protest and conflict, Hongkongers give July 1 pro-democracy march the cold shoulder

As thousands of Hong Kong protesters flocked to Victoria Park for the July 1 pro-democracy march, some chose to give the annual ritual the cold shoulder.

Some dismissed the march as “pointless”, while others said they were fed up with seemingly endless protests in Hong Kong and wanted harmony.

1 Jul 2015 - 8:59pm1 comment

July 1 march concludes, with turnout at lowest level since 2008

Organisers say just 48,000 people joined today's annual July 1 march, the lowest turnout for the annual pro-democracy rally since 2008. The last of the marchers have now arrived at the rallying point at government headquarters in Admiralty, close to the site of the main Occupy sit-in last year.

1 Jul 2015 - 9:53pm10 comments

Leung (inset) shows injuries to his back. An unnamed man apparently attacks Leung in front of policemen. Photos: Reuters, Apple Daily

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Jun 30, 2015 3:54pm

Police slammed over handling of assault on Mong Kok protester

Hong Kong police are under fire over their handling of an assault by a pro-Beijing demonstrator on a localist protester during an anti-China rally in Mong Kok on Sunday night.

A protester, who gave his name as Sunny, said he saw his friend being attacked by a group of nine people in the street.

The victim, surnamed Leung, was punched several times and dragged before he managed to escape, Sunny was quoted as saying by Apple Daily.

Camera footage shows a man being pursued by two people after police separated them.

Also, news photos show injuries to Leung’s back. 

However, the officers made no arrests in the incident, angering protesters.

They were demonstrating against street singing and dancing by a group of women suspected to be mainlanders.

Things began to get out of hand when pro-Beijing supporters showed up and exchanged taunts with the localists.

The heckling escalated into clashes, with the police moving in, armed with truncheons and pepper spray.

Apple Daily is reporting that suspected triads were among a group that instigated the violence.

They were earlier seen with pro-Beijing groups led by I Care Action.

Sources said troublemakers might have been hired to provoke the localists into a fight, hoping they will be detained and forced to miss a planned July 1 rally.

Meanwhile, a group of demonstrators protested the arrest of a man and a woman from their group.

Icarus Wong of Hong Kong Civil Rights Observer said officers used pepper spray on the protesters without warning.

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Police use pepper spray (left photo) and hit a woman in the head (right). Photo: Lostdutch/Youtube

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