GLORIA CHAN GLORIA.CHAN@SCMP.COM
PUBLISHED : Thursday, 01 October, 2015, 2:24pm
UPDATED : Thursday, 01 October, 2015, 2:24pm
The protesters assembled outside the Clock Tower in Tsim Sha Tsui today. Photo: Nora Tam
Around a hundred Hongkongers clad in black and holding yellow umbrellas gathered at Tsim Sha Tsui’s Clock Tower this morning, vowing to defend the city’s core values from being further eroded under the mainland’s rule.
Citing the University of Hong Kong governing council’s rejection this week of Johannes Chan Man-mun’s pro-vice-chancellor appointment as but one example, organisers said the city’s rule of law and other pillars of society like education are under threat at a faster rate than expected.
Civic Party lawmaker Kwok Kai-ki, one of the organisers, said: “This is the first National Day after the 79-day Umbrella Movement and many of us don’t know how to celebrate as the core values of Hong Kong have been attacked a lot in the past year.”
Another organiser, Dr Stephen Ng Kam-cheung, said Beijing is tightening its control over Hong Kong like “cooking a frog in boiling water”.
“If we don’t stand up to speak out now, we won’t have the chance anymore,” Ng added. “We can’t allow our core values and conscience to be twisted by others.”
Organisers said Hong Kong's core values, such as the rule of law, were under attack. Photo: Nora TamJames Hon Lin-shan, a retired teacher and founder of the NGO Citizen Charter 617, called for Hongkongers to unite in protesting against Johannes Chan’s appointment defeat.
“We can’t let the governing council off the hook. I suggest a student and teacher strike - we need to occupy Hong Kong University!” Hon said to cheers and applause.
After representatives of various professional groups spoke, participants concluded the one-hour event by singing “Do You Hear The People Sing” from the musical Les Miserables.
Although many in attendance noted that gathering and singing would not bring any actual change, they believed it was still important to come out and voice concerns for the city’s future.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1863168/back-black-hongkongers-gather-national-day-protest-mainland
