Demonstrations held in Berlin to mark second anniversary of Hong Kong uprising
Jun 14, 2021
Berlin [Germany], June 14 : On the second anniversary of the pro-democracy uprising in Hong Kong, scores of people including German citizens and Hongkongers jointly organized a protest in Berlin, Germany.
Nearly 100 protestors including representatives of Tibetans and Uyghurs participated in the protest at Alexanderplatz, a large public square in the capital city, on June 12 against the widespread human rights abuse by the Chinese government.
Demonstrations were staged in several cities across the globe on Saturday to commemorate the second anniversary of the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong.
Since June last year, the sweeping national security law Beijing imposed on the city is being used to stifle political opposition and anti-government protests. The law has dramatically expanded China's grip on the semi-autonomous city, the Voice of America (VOA) reported.
Spanning across 50 cities, activists and supporters from 20 countries participated in the campaign for Hong Kong. Protests were held in several countries including the US, UK, Canada and Australia. Additionally, virtual events were scheduled in cities such as Bangkok and Taipei, due to the COVID-19 restrictions.
On June 12, 2019, clashes erupted between police and demonstrators outside the Legislative Council after thousands of people protested against an extradition bill that was scheduled for its second reading in the chamber that day. The legislation was finally withdrawn months later.
As things stand, the pro-China authorities have adopted a heavy-handed approach in Hong Kong and have taken actions against demonstrators. Meanwhile, members of the international community have asked Beijing for a course correction.