Saturday’s rally comes after thousands of students on Friday night gathered at Chater Garden to call for the US and Britain to help the city fight for democracy.
Hong Kong protesters (Photo: AFP)
Thousands of teachers gathered onto the streets of Hong Kong on Saturday despite heavy rains in a show of solidarity with young protesters, as the city braces for the 11th weekend of demonstrations sparked by the now-shelved extradition bill.
The Hong Kong Professional Teachers’ Union, organiser of the event themed “Safeguard the next generation, let our conscience speak” held a rally at Chater Garden in Central before a march to Government House, the residence of Chief Executive Carrie Lam, the South China Morning Post reported.
The march was among three demonstrations planned on Saturday that have been approved by the police.
Advertisement
Saturday’s rally comes after thousands of students on Friday night gathered at Chater Garden to call for the US and Britain to help the city fight for democracy.
Earlier on Friday, Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung sought to discourage secondary school students from the boycott of classes.
The Hong Kong Professional Teachers’ Unionsaid officials had failed to respond to the five demands of protesters over the last two months, including the full withdrawal of the bill, as well as the appointment of a judge-led independent inquiry into police use of force on protesters.
Last month, Thousands of pro-democracy protesters defied a police ban and began marching through Hong Kong a day after riot-police fired rubber bullets and tear gas in the latest violent confrontation to plunge the financial hub deeper into crisis.
Huge crowds gathered in the heart of the city’s commercial district after police gave permission for a static protest in a park but banned a proposed march through the city.
The demonstrations were triggered by a controversial bill which would have allowed extraditions to mainland China, but have evolved into a call for wider democratic reforms and a halt to sliding freedoms.
Advertisement
