About 40 demonstrators, representing April 5th Action Group, Never Forget
June 4th, and People's Constitutionalist Society, clashed with police near the Hong Kong
Convention and Exhibition Centre on the first SAR anniversary. The demonstrators wanted to
stage a protest against visiting PRC president Jiang Zemin, but were stopped by the police
about 300 meters from the centre, where a dinner reception was held for Jiang. After
repeated attempts to break through the police cordon, the demonstrators burned a coffin to
show their anger and discontent.
The demonstration started at 5:30 p.m. at Wanchai. They carried a coffin
marked with words, "The Regime of Butchers Stinks Forever" and chanted
slogans demanding Li Peng and Jiang Zemin to step down for their crimes
in the Tiananmen Massacre along the way. They were stalled by the police
about 300 meters away from the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition
Centre. The police told them this was as far as they go and they could only
send two representatives to the "designated areas" to stage their protest
against the Tianamen Massacre.
Representatives of the demonstration, Leung Kwok-hung and Lau
San-ching, maintained that they wanted to stage a protest near the centre
where Jiang would be able to hear and see their slogans and banners. Their
demand was refused by the police for "security reasons". Clash and scuffle
then occured as demonstrators, carrying the coffin, tried to break through
the cordon. One of the demonstrators, Lui Yuk-ling, was arrested and
detained for about 45 minutes. She was allowed to join the demonstrators
after release. After several attempts to break through the cordon failed, the
demonstrators burned the coffin to show their anger and discontent.
Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Alliance also staged a protest against the
Tiananmen Massacre nearby. They were also stopped by the police at
about 350 meters away from the centre. The Alliance changed its decision
of not staging protest on the anniversary day early this week. Several
members of the Alliance, who are also legislators-elect, went to join the
welcome dinner for Jiang after participating in the protest. |
