Julia Lopez / Staff Reporter
According to a Wikipedia article, “December 2005 protest for democracy in Hong Kong,” a protest takes place including thousands of citizens and protestors marching in favour of universal and fair suffrage in Hong Kong on December 4, 2005. Fighting for democracy and insisting that the Chief Executive and all Legislative Council seats be elected by the government.
Currently what is happening today, many protests are still occurring in different countries and impacting the world.
The Civil Human Rights Front and Pro-democracy lawmakers organized the protest, that took place at football pitches in the Victoria Park. Men, women, and children of all ages were protesting from side streets and subway stations.
The number of protestors were quite large, with around 250,000 participants. Then was estimated 80,00 to 100,00 people by a study team from the University of Hong Kong. Unemployment was falling, although economy was growing and Donald Tsang, was now a popular and charismatic leader in Hong Kong. He wanted to achieve and share the hopes of many of the protestors. Wanting full democracy for Hong Kong and as well as demanding that on Dec.21, the Legislature vote on a plan he created to allow only limited political changes soon in the future.
However, protestors wanted the chief executive and all members of the legislature to have want a one-person, one-vote elections. Between the main government buildings and at the plaza, near a generally closed area to the public, democracy protestors peacefully occupied space by the government late into the night.
Joining in the group A well-known prodemocracy lawmaker, Ronny Tong thinks that Tsang’s legislation would not succeed because democracy supporters believed it did not go far enough.
Carrying a sign that read, “We have a timetable for schoolwork and study, why isn’t there one for universal suffrage.” Was 46-year-old garment trader, Stanley Lai, and his 8-year-old son, Kushi Lai was among the crowds.
Kushi says, “I don’t understand much about universal suffrage, but I know that when we pick a class monitor, we do not want the teacher to name one for us,”
Many protests are happening everywhere in the world today, with people wanting change for the future of the country.
On March 16, 2020, there was a bigger protest about wanting democracy in Hong Kong. This Protest was known as the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement. The Hong Kong government has a Fugitive Offenders amendment bill, and this had triggered the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement.
Residents and visitors would be subjected to the legal system of mainland China which was a concern. The other reason for this protest is that China have been blamed of meddling in Hong Kong, for example legal rulings that have disqualified pro-democracy legislators.
Many attended a demonstration that began with a sit-in at the government headquarters on March 15, 2019. On June 12, outside the Legislative Council Complex, the bill’s second reading had caused violence which had worsened and captured the world’s interest.
The Protests have escalated, and it has become increasingly violent between police and activists. Protestors were attacked by police firing live bullets and fought back with poles, and petrol bombs.
The Hong Kong protest has really caught the world’s attention and the people are not stopping to demand for universal and equal suffrage. Nevertheless, street protests had ease off and died down during the pandemic but that undoubtedly won’t stop the citizens of Hong Kong for Democracy soon.
Hong Kong Protest:
- What Happened on December 4, 2005 – On This Day
- https://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/04/international/asia/prodemocracy-protesters-march-in-hong-kong.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_2005_protest_for_democracy_in_Hong_Kong
Protest happening today: