On Tuesday, June 9th, hundreds of Hong Kong protestors flooded its streets to mark one year since the beginning of protests against the government. The leader of the semi-autonomous city is calling for stability and for peace.

The protestors marched in Hong Kong’s central districts, with chants such as “Fight to the end,” and “Hong Kong independence, the only way out.”

The protests continue despite police warnings that they would be able to use force against them in order to disperse participants, and also under the threat of facing up to five years in prison. A group of protestors was charged by riot police, with pepper spray being used and some protestors being tackled to the ground.

Overall, there were at least 25 people detained under charges like participating in unauthorized assemblies, disorderly conduct and other offenses.

“Lawful protests are always respected but unlawful acts are to be rejected. Please stop breaking the law,”

Police in a tweet

The famous march through central Hong Kong that gave way to the pro-democracy movements protestors are currently participating in was exactly one year ago this Tuesday. This movement has seen protestors break into the legislative building and march through the streets several weekends.

The Civil Human Rights Front organized the event, saying that the large demonstration on June 9, 2019 has remained in Hongkongers’ memories. They have also stated that these moments “mark the beginning of our togetherness in defending our beloved city.”

Anticipating the protests, police closed some streets and walkways ahead of time. Around noon, protestors even gathered in shopping malls with signs and banners reading “Liberate Hong Kong”.

The initial protest last year was opposing a proposed extradition bill that would have enabled people in Hong Kong to be shipped to mainland China to face trial there, even when Hong Kong has its own legal system.

Those who organized the protest claim that there were more than a million people attending, while police estimate the crowd was made up of approximately 240,000 people.

Following June 9, 2019, the protests escalated. In the following months there were several violent conflicts between protesters and police. These events led to many accusations of police brutality and demands for independent investigation into police behavior, claims that have gained recognition around the world with the current anti-police-brutality movement.

With the Coronavirus pandemic at large earlier this year, protests were forced to halt for some time, but now that infections have declined, they have continued. These protests aim to demonstrate against a national security law for Hong Kong. This legislation, focused on ”troublemakers” according to authorities, has increased tensions to an all-time high.

Following Britain’s handover of Hong Kong to China, there was a very specific framework that allowed two systems to exist within one same country, a framework that would give special freedom not found in mainland China. Critics have said that the national security law is a low blow to this framework in place since 1997.

China is continually hastening the enactment of the national security law and has blamed the protests in part on foreign intervention.

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