Hong Kong: demonstration against the postponement of legislative severely repressed

Riot police disperse protesters angry at the postponement of legislative elections in Hong Kong on September 6, 2020. Tyrone Siu / Reuters

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Just under 300 people were arrested Sunday, September 6 in Hong Kong, while demonstrating against the one-year postponement of the parliamentary elections, officially due to coronavirus.

In the evening, in a statement, the government of the former British colony condemned the “illegal and selfish acts” of the demonstrators.

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" 

 ", " 

 ": these are the slogans chanted by demonstrators who took to the streets of Hong Kong on Sunday, September 6, to protest against the

which were to take place

this day.

They also protested against the new law on national security, passed at the end of June, and described as liberticide by its opponents.

Since the entry into force of this law, denounced Friday, September 4 by UN rapporteurs as representing a risk for freedoms and the right to demonstrate, at least 22 people, including the

and the famous activist Agnes Chow, were arrested.

On Sunday, a demonstrator who allegedly sang slogans in favor of independence was also arrested.

Almost all demonstrations are banned this year

Sunday morning, before the demonstration, a radio host and pro-democracy activist had already been arrested for

The police did not give further details.

Leung Kwok-hung, Figo Chan and Raphael Wong, three leading figures of the pro-democracy movement were also arrested during this demonstration which had been banned.

Almost all demonstrations have been banned this year.

Reasons given by the authorities: security concerns and the fight against the coronavirus.

But the date of this Sunday, September 6 was symbolic, since it was the day of the postponed legislative elections.

After their success in last year's local elections, opponents thought they would get an unprecedented majority in the Hong Kong assembly, and they wanted to voice their discontent.

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