Thousands marched in a meandering tour of downtown Hong Kong on Saturday in the pouring rain, the latest in a series of pro-democracy protests that have plunged the Chinese-ruled city into its worst political crisis in decades.
Police blocked plans for a mass show of force downtown to mark the fifth anniversary of a decision by China to curtail democratic reforms in the former British colony, which returned to China in 1997.
People took to the streets anyway, many joining a “Christian march” from the Wanchai entertainment district in a sea of umbrellas and congregating next to the Legislative Council, stormed by activists in an earlier protest.
Other demonstrators, many wearing black and face masks,marched in the Causeway Bay shopping district.
It was latest in a string of protests over three months, some of which have turned violent, targeting the airport, the legislature and the Liaison Office, the symbol of Chinese rule.
“Hong Kong has religious freedom,” Sally Yeung, 27, a Christian, told Reuters. “We are praying at different checkpoints and praying for justice to arrive in Hong Kong.
“If they prosecute us simply because we are praying, they infringe our religious freedom.”
Hovering under an umbrella outside the government offices,Eric, a 22-year-old student, said telling people not to protest was like telling them not to breathe.
“I feel it’s my duty to fight for democracy,” he said.”Maybe we win, maybe we lose. But we fight.”
Police erected water-filled plastic barriers around key government buildings and two water cannon, used briefly for the first time last weekend, were parked near the Liaison Office,which was daubed with graffiti in an earlier protest.
The MTR subway suspended some services and shut station exits because of likely “public activities”.
