Hong Kong: The Silenced City

Hong Kong, a former British colony, has been controlled by China since 1997. Despite being

under their rule, it has its own judiciary and a separate legal system from mainland China. The enshrined rights, known as the Basic Law, include freedom of assembly, freedom of speech and freedom of the capitalist way of life. In April 2019, the Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation Bill, dubbed the extradition bill, was proposed which would have allowed for special surrender arrangements to be made between Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mainland China and Macao.

The bill was to close a "legal loophole" that had allowed a 19-year-old to remain in Hong Kong after admitting to murdering his girlfriend in Taiwan due to no agreement being in place to charge him in Hong Kong for the crime or extradite him to Taiwan. The government argued that it would prevent the city being used as a safe haven for criminals. The people of Hong Kong felt that the government, heavily influenced by Beijing, were simply trying to progress a movement to more unification and that it would afford China more powers to silence those opposed to their intentions.

The proposal had caused widespread criticism domestically and abroad from many groups of people including the legal profession, journalists, business groups and foreign governments. The main concerns were for the erosion of Hong Kong's legal system and it's built in safeguards and for the potential damage it may cause to Hong Kong's business climate. The bill would see news powers afforded to China, with significant concerns that they would take advantage to arrest voices of political dissent and anti-communism.

The Hong Kong protesters were mostly young people, many of them students, worried about their future. Jimmy Sham from the Civil Human Rights Front Protest Group pinpointed the number of protesters at nearly 2 million, which if confirmed would be the largest protest in Hong Kong's history by over 1.6 million. The main concerns of the demonstrators related to exposure to the legal system of mainland China, undermining Hong Kong's autonomy and infringing their civil liberties. They believed that the erosion of their freedoms would be exploited by China to progress their intentions to incorporate Hong Kong into the People's Republic and their voices lost within the communist system.

The protests were not just on the streets but within the government too. Attempts to read the proposed law at the Bills Committee descended into chaos with the pan-democrats (pro-democracy), who were stringently opposed to the law, and the pro-establishment (pro-Beijing) party, pushing and shoving each other. A number of legislators fell to the ground, with others falling from tables and needing medical treatment.

On 15 June, Carrie Lam, Hong Kong leader, announced that she would suspend the proposed bill. The government had hoped to reduce public anger by announcing a pause on the legislation but it did not have the intended effect. The "pause" did not satisfy the protesters, instead they demanded the bill be scrapped, not just suspended. The announcement fuelled anger directed at Lam with many chanting "Carrie Lam - resign!" throughout the continuing protests.

On October 1, while China was celebrating 70 years of Communist Party rule, Hong Kong experienced one of its most "violent and chaotic days". People took to the streets in central Hong Kong and at least six other districts, blocking roads in some areas. At least 66 people were injured as police fired tear gas and protesters retaliated with petrol bombs. According to local media, at least 180 people were arrested. The day resulted in an anti-government protester being shot in the chest. Though people had been shot by rubber bullets in previous protests, this was the first injury from a live round. There was very little information about the young man, with articles suggesting he sought medical treatment but nothing concrete and nothing sharing his message.

Yolanda Yu Hoi-Kwan, a Senior Superintendent, was quoted as saying the Police Officer "fired a round at the assailant to save his own life and his colleagues lives." In addition to the bullet fired at the young man, five other live rounds were fired around Hong Kong that day. The Police Chief said on the matter; "Our national day is supposed to be a day to celebrate and be happy, but unfortunately some rioters chose to do all this all these sorts of criminal damages, arsons, wounding, assaulting police officers, and various [other] behaviours."

These words further illustrate the misunderstanding of those in power, unwilling to listen and understand the voices of the protesters, but rather dismiss them as "rioters" without a cause.

The protesters have adopted the motto: "five demands, not one less" as an attempt to have their voices heard. These demands consist of:

• The protesters not to be characterised as "rioters"

• Amnesty for arrested protesters

• An independent inquiry into alleged police brutality

• Implementation of complete universal suffrage

• The withdrawal of the extradition bill

The last of these has already been met with Secretary for Security John Lee Ka-Chiu announcing the governments formal withdrawal of the bill on 23 October.

Chinese president Xi Jinping warned against the actions of the protesters, saying that an attempt to divide China would end in "bodies smashed and bones ground to powder". Hong Kong's "special freedoms" are set to expire in 2047 with many fearing becoming "another Chinese city", a clear concern of the protesters although still a distance away. Jinping has also said whilst speaking from Beijing's Tiananmen Square, that no force could

stop China's march onward. It is clear that this is a promise he intends to keep, no matter what.

The protests have seen 2 deaths, over 2,600 injuries, 10,016 arrests and 2,210 charges and it does beg the question of whether anything has been achieved. Although the protests have largely died down, in part due to health concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hong Kong government continue to ignore the voices of their own people. Encouraged on by mainland China and the influence of Beijing, the voices of any member opposed to their ambition for unification silenced by arrest, imprisonment and discrediting.

When a government fails to hear the voices its own people during such a clear demonstration, it feels unlikely they ever will.