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Hong Kong

Police crackdown won’t stymie democracy movement

Thursday 3 July 2014, by Terry Conway

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Hong Kong police arrested more than 500 people holding a sit-in a day after tens of thousands in the former British colony joined a massive march to push for democracy. Those arrested were overwhelmingly young.

Only 30 of the protestors were formally charged; with holding unlawful assembly while the rest were warned that the police "reserve the right to prosecute".

They hope this to deter people from taking actions in the coming weeks — the deadline for the government to propose a political reform package to change the constitution (the Basic law) which specifies that only a nominating committee can pick leadership candidates for the vote scheduled to take place in 2017.

Police said 98,600 people joined Tuesday’s rally at its peak, while organizers said 510,000 turned out, the highest estimates in a decade. Hong Kong University researchers put the number at between 154,000 and 172,000.

It is also interesting that a solidarity action with the Hong Kong activists took place in mainland China: in Shenzhen

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