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Citizen mobilization is not weakening in Hong Kong, after a Saturday demonstration that degenerated late in the day. Twenty people were arrested by the police. On the eve of a general strike, a static rally was held in a park this Sunday, August 4, while other protesters were dispersed by police in the Sheung Wan neighborhood.
With our special correspondent in Hong Kong , Zhifan Liu
The tens of thousands of protesters gathered in the afternoon in Belcher Bay Park. They should stay until the evening without scrolling through the streets of this predominantly residential neighborhood.
The authorities decided that the rally would remain static because of the route of the initial route. The procession was to pass through a police station, as well as the Beijing Liaison Office, the symbol of China's power and influence in the archipelago.
The authorities vetoed, certainly heated by the events of two weeks ago, when protesters had degraded the emblem of the People's Republic of China , an attack that was actually experienced as a humiliation by Beijing.
Tear gas
The rally was allowed until 21h, but it is not excluded that some protesters take the street in a new gesture of challenge to the authorities. The crowd is currently massively family, but some protesters all dressed in black and very well equipped are also present and may want to do battle with the police.
In addition, riot police dispersed groups of protesters in the wealthy Sheung Wan area of the main island with tear gas. The dispersed protesters immediately joined a larger group, near the Liaison Office representing Beijing's interests in this semi-autonomous territory of southern China rocked for weeks by a protest movement.
A general strike will be launched Monday, August 5 in a city where the culture of work has always won so far.
►To read: Beijing changes communication strategy on Hong Kong protests