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In Hong Kong, the protests have lasted more than two months. The first was to have Chief Executive Carrie Lam withdraw an extradition bill that would have allowed people arrested in Hong Kong to be tried in mainland China. The project was quickly suspended, but the protesters want his total withdrawal. With now other demands, such as an independent investigation into police violence, and democratic reforms. Just what the student movement of umbrellas asked five years ago. Its leaders have paid the price, despite their youth. Those who are now figures of elders are not at the forefront of this new movement without a leader, however, they remain as active and determined as Joshua Wong, 22, whom RFI met.
From our special envoy to Hong Kong,
RFI: You came out of prison two months ago, the demonstrations had already begun. What is your investment in the movement ?
Joshua Wong: I participated in most of the events. With my party Demosisto we organize a legal support by coordinating with high school students, we set up crowdfunding campaigns, and we organized the rally during Monday's general strike , the largest since the handover, which showed the passion and determination of people. But it will not be the last, I think there will be another one in a month or two.
► See also: Hong Kong: free, Joshua Wong immediately calls Carrie Lam to resign
RFI: What are the differences between this movement and yours, five years ago?
Five years ago we called for free elections and faced President Xi Jinping. Today, we call for free elections and we face Emperor Xi. We are well aware of the very tough policy that the Chinese president is leading, and that we are living. Moreover this movement has no leaders, and this is a positive point: the Beijing authorities can not target anyone, they can not stop the movement by dragging a head or a head It is thanks to this that the movement has lasted for two months, to become "the summer of discontent". Benny Tai, Ivan Long and I were put in prison, as political leaders, the fact that the movement has no leaders but only facilitators allows us to continue.
► See also: Hong Kong: the end of the umbrella movement
RFI: Your movement was mainly made up of students, there is the impression that all layers of society participate. Why ?
This goes from the baby boomer generation to the millennials generation. We are acutely aware of the importance of our fight for democracy. Of the 500 people arrested in the past two months, the youngest is 13 and the oldest is 63. The fact that it crosses the generations is important, it shows the diversity and unity of the Hong Kong people. They do not trust a Beijing led by Xi Jinping. They are fully aware of the importance for us to have free elections.
RFI: Have people lost their trust in Beijing in five years?
MPs were kicked out, activists jailed, publishers kidnapped, foreign correspondent journalist deported from Hong Kong: we are fully aware that "one country two systems" has eroded to become " a country a system ". Xi Jinping transformed the system to become the emperor. With the constitutional amendment he passed to abolish the number of presidential terms, he will remain the leader of China for the next five, ten, fifteen or twenty years. That's why we are fully aware of the situation, that we are afraid, and that the Hong Kong government must be elected by impartial Hong Kong people, not people manipulated by Beijing.
RFI: This movement is more violent than yours, which was not. We see things that would have been unimaginable at the time.
The Hong Kong police have carried out 1,800 shots of tear gas during the last two months, during the movement of the umbrellas they had shot 18. Today is totally different. Hong Kong police used lethal weapons. Riot police stationed themselves on the roofs of tall towers in central Hong Kong and fired tear gas and 14th-stage bullets to stop demonstrations. They are really deploying excessive and potentially deadly force. They do this on the order of Beijing, to discourage people. But the momentum is still there, and the movement continues.
► See also: Serious affront to Hong Kong: Opponents stain Chinese Liaison Office
RFI: The umbrella movement lasted more than two months without violence, there demonstrators attacked and degraded Parliament, police stations are also targeted.
People are being hit by rubber bullets . We, peaceful protesters ... And we act like it's normal. It's completely crazy, it's terrible, and people are angry, and they hope to get back their rights to choose their own government. On 16 June, two million people out of seven and a half million took part in a march: this showed our commitment to free elections. But the government completely ignores our markets. Nobody wants to demonstrate every weekend, but that's what happens. Protesters targeted police stations and government buildings to show that these are not places that represent people's voices. The exit door, it does not depend on the militants, the exit door is that the government stops to stay behind the riot police and do nothing.
RFI: Why does not Carrie Lam withdraw the extradition bill once and for all?
Carrie Lam is just the puppet of Beijing and the communist regime, whatever decision she has in mind it actually depends on the State Council. That is why we must have free elections. The person who directs us should not be the puppet of Beijing.
RFI: The big question is "will Beijing send the army? "
They can not send the People's Liberation Army to Hong Kong. If they do, the economy and development will collapse. And the price that Hong Kong pro-Beijing financial leaders would pay would be huge, that's why they'll never do it.
RFI: So, what would be the exit point for Beijing?
Abolish the draft law on extradition, accept an independent commission on police violence and let Hong Kong have free elections. And the French government must take back its Legion of Honor to Carrie Lam. We just put up a petition on Twitter about it. People in France must act. Carrie Lam does not deserve this honor, when she launches the riot police over the protesters and ignores our wish for free elections. What we are asking for is a right that people in Europe have enjoyed since the last century. We are still fighting to get it.
Revoke Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam's Legion of Honor Distinctionhttps: //t.co/cnQ02xFscw pic.twitter.com/eeLSO7Llw3
Joshua Wong 黃 之 鋒 (@joshuawongcf) August 6, 2019