Protest organizer the Civil Human Rights Front has called for a march this Sunday starting from 2:30 p.m., saying it had applied for a permit. It would originate in Hong Kong’s Victoria Park, as did a mass demonstration last Sunday that brought hundreds of thousands of people onto the streets. It also called for a Monday assembly in Admiralty, the center of Wednesday’s clashes between demonstrators and police. In a statement, CHRF said it condemned the use of police violence and repeated previous demands for the bill’s withdrawal and Lam’s resignation.
Business worries
Hong Kong’s General Chamber of Commerce, which says it represents businesses employing a third of the local workforce, said large-scale protests show the public has “serious apprehensions” about the bill. “We sincerely urge the government to continue to listen to stakeholders and engage in meaningful dialogue with the public,” said Aron Harilela, the group’s chairman, adding that it agrees with the underlying principle of the bill. “We call for restraint from all parties to ensure that this issue will not undermine business confidence in Hong Kong and our international reputation,” Chamber CEO Shirley Yuen added, according to a statement.
Teachers speak out
The head of the city’s largest teachers’ union pushed back against criticism over the group’s call for a school strike. Ip Kin-yuen clarified that the union’s call was directed at teachers – not students. “We have never had such strong requests from teachers to clearly voice our stand. We want to reiterate that we are asking teachers to strike. We hope students are present in class. We urge high school students under 18 not to go to dangerous places,” he said. Turnout at protests since Sunday has been largely driven by young people, including students, many of whom are on summer break.
International image
Western countries are unlikely to take punitive action against Hong Kong for the government’s handling of the protests, Matthew Cheung, the city’s No. 2 official, said in an interview with Now TV. The clashes would only have limited impact on Hong Kong’s international image, the chief secretary added. Government officials weren’t involved in the police decision to fire rubber bullets, which was the minimum level of force available at that time, Cheung said. He reiterated the administration will continue with the legislation.
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