STUART LAU STUART.LAU@SCMP.COM
PUBLISHED : Monday, 28 September, 2015, 6:40pm
UPDATED : Monday, 28 September, 2015, 8:04pm
The Occupy Central trio of (from left) Dr Chan Kin-man, Benny Tai and the Reverend Chu Yiu-ming address the crowds on stage in Admiralty. Photo: SCMP Picture
Occupy organisers called on Hongkongers to stay the course and put their support of democracy into practice at the social level on the first anniversary of the civil disobedience movement.
Benny Tai Yiu-ting, one of the trio who launched the citywide campaign a year ago today, said: “We can imagine that if the central government continues to deny Hongkongers genuine democracy, the people of Hong Kong will come out again.”
Speaking on stage to hundreds of rally participants, Tai continued: “The year 2014 must be one of the most important pages in Hong Kong’s history. The ‘umbrella movement’ was testimony to the determination of Hongkongers, which surpassed the Occupy trio’s determination [to strive in] love and peace.”
He pledged there would definitely be “ongoing citywide direct” movements to fight for democracy.
Scholarism student activist Joshua Wong Chi-fung said September 28 should not turn into a day of festivities.
“A day that becomes a festival is one of ceremonies only, losing the focus on what can be done on the other 364 days of the year in civil society,” Wong said.
Student leaders Nathan Law Kwun-chung and Joshua Wong Chi-fung urge Hongkongers not to lose focus in their democracy push. Photo: SCMP Picture
READ MORE: Joint photography exhibition recalls dramatic scenes of Occupy movement
Occupy co-founder the Reverend Chu Yiu-ming said Hong Kong faced an “evil spirit” that tried to destroy the city by, for example, referring to the chief executive as transcending over the three branches of government, in an apparent reference to Zhang Xiaoming, Beijing’s liaison office chief in the city.
Student leader Joshua Wong walks past policemen patrolling outside the Legislative Council today. Photo: Reuters“We need to stand up against those who deprive people of human rights,” Chu said. “Maybe the road is long and my body is weak, but we cannot lose our determination.”
Dr Chan Kin-man, also of the Occupy trio, urged rally participants not to be let down by current setbacks.
A combination picture shows Joshua Wong, leader of the student movement, resting after delivering a speech as protesters block the main street to the financial Central district, outside the government headquarters building in Hong Kong on October 4, 2014 (above), and Wong posing in the same location on September 18, 2015 (below). Photo: Reuters
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1862101/keep-torch-democracy-alive-occupy-leaders-tell-hongkongers
