Hong Kong’s violent protests against Chinese rule
Hong Kong is experiencing its most violent and dangerous moment since Mao’s Cultural Revolution
NOT SINCE the 1960s, when Mao’s Cultural Revolution spilled over into Hong Kong, triggering riots and bombings, have political tensions in the city run so high. After weeks of protests, antagonism between critics and supporters of the Communist Party in Beijing has risen sharply. The local government seems paralysed. Relations with the police have deteriorated. And worries abound that turmoil will grow.
July 21st brought a crucial change. During the day hundreds of thousands of demonstrators, many in black, the chosen colour of those who support democracy, marched through the city. They were calling for the formal withdrawal of an extradition bill (now shelved) allowing criminal suspects to be extradited to the mainland. The demonstration was orderly, but two incidents that came after it were not.
This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline "Against the symbols of Beijing"
From the July 27th 2019 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from China
The Chinese scientist who sequenced covid is barred from his lab
The Communist Party is still hounding experts whose work might expose its pandemic missteps
Why China’s companies are recruiting their own militias
Officials want to keep things calm in an era of slowing growth
China mulls a bold test of taxation without representation
With revenue declining, its leaders must figure out how to collect more money