Protesters March In Tai Po Despite Police Ban

Hundreds of people held a march in Tai Po on Saturday afternoon despite a police ban on an anti-extradition rally that was planned earlier.

They chanted slogans like “go Hongkongers!” and “reclaim Hong Kong, the revolution of our times”, and demanded the government meets protesters five demands – including a complete withdrawal of the now-suspended extradition bill, and an independent probe into allegations of police’s abuse of power.

The organiser of the demonstration had called off event on Friday, after an appeal board upheld police’s decision to ban it. But that didn't deter many from assembling at a park near the Tai Po Tau bus terminus.

A young woman who gave her surname as Leung said she decided to turn up anyway, because she thinks the government has not responded to people’s demands.

“We want them to be held accountable for the violence that they have inflicted on us. Sadly we haven’t been receiving any helpful or even a responsible answer. All the conference… they are just talking nonsense, and not really responding to what we’re asking,” she told RTHK’s Violet Wong.

“So we are just coming out today to exercise the rights that we have, which is the freedom of assembly,” she said.

As the crowd swelled, some spilled on to the Ting Tai road. Then the crowd started marching towards the direction of Wan Tau Kok Lane, which was the final destination of the cancelled rally.

There was no police presence on the streets and there were water barriers erected around the Tai Po police station. Most of the shops in the main areas of Tai Po were closed.