Hundreds of thousands of people marched through central Hong Kong on Sunday in the biggest pro-democracy demonstration in the Asian financial centre since millions took to the streets when the protests began in June.
The large turnout at the protest, the first street march in central Hong Kong approved by the police since mid-August, comes despite Beijing’s efforts to stifle demands for greater political freedoms in the territory. The protest wrapped up peacefully, a rare outcome in the months of often violent demonstrations. It comes two weeks after pro-democracy parties swept local elections in Hong Kong, the first electoral test of the city’s pro-democracy movement since the movement began.
Demonstrators chanted “fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong” while riot police kept vigil from the side streets and on pedestrian bridges. The organisers estimated 800,000 had joined the protest. Police estimates suggested there were less than 200,000. By early evening, three hours after the protest began, thousands of people were still joining the march.