Police officers on the streets of Hong Kong, October 1, 2020. -
Kin Cheung / AP / SIPA
On this symbolic day, Beijing does not want to leave any room for dispute.
Thousands of riot police are deployed this Thursday in the streets of Hong Kong, to prevent any major pro-democracy demonstration on the occasion of the Chinese National Day.
Some 6,000 police officers were mobilized on this occasion, or double the number normally requisitioned when the authorities expect demonstrations.
Very supervised festivities
The People's Republic of China celebrates its creation every October 1, a public holiday that gives rise to highly supervised official festivities.
But in Hong Kong, this national holiday is also an opportunity for part of the population to express their anger against Beijing's desire to reverse freedoms, yet guaranteed to the former British colony as part of the agreement of its retrocession to China in 1997.
Helicopters displaying Chinese and Hong Kong flags flew over the territory as local chief executive Carrie Lam and Chinese officials participated in an official commemoration at the island's exhibition center, under close protection law enforcement.
It must be said that last year, the 70th anniversary of the creation of the People's Republic of China gave rise to violent clashes between demonstrators and police.
The excuse of the coronavirus
To avoid reliving these events, the authorities have banned all demonstrations this year, for security reasons and in accordance with measures to combat the coronavirus which prevent public gatherings of more than four people.
However, four members of an opposition movement launched Thursday morning pro-democracy slogans near the exhibition center where the official ceremony was held, surrounded by around forty police officers.
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