Protesters Accuse The US Of Inciting Mass Rallies

A group of pro-government supporters held a protest outside the US Consulate on Friday, accusing the Americans of inciting protests in Hong Kong and using the city as a battleground in their trade war with China.

Several dozen people rallied outside the consulate in Central and said the US is inciting mass demonstrations against the extradition law changes being proposed by the Hong Kong government.

Members of three groups – the Federation of Hong Kong Kowloon New Territories Hawker Associations, Hong Kong Southern District Alliance and Real Hongkongers’ View – demanded America stay out of the SAR's domestic affairs.

They claimed foreign powers are colluding with local dissidents to incite public anger, with the aim of using the resulting conflict as a bargaining chip in the ongoing Sino-US trade war.

“The United States had undermined Hong Kong’s system and interfered with our internal affairs,” Real Hongkongers’ View spokesman Jason Lam said. “It was a clear disregard of facts.”

Lam noted that Consul General Kurt Tong had criticised the Hong Kong government on “multiple occasions” – including when the pro-independence Hong Kong National Party was banned, when election hopefuls were disqualified, and after mainland dissidents were refused entry into the SAR.

“I am worried Hong Kong will become a battleground for the trade war,” Lam added. “What they are doing would not only mess Hong Kong up, but also damage US citizens' interests.”

Some of the demonstrators had marched from Charter Garden in Central to the consulate.