Hundreds of people took to the streets yesterday to vent their anger at the government's handling of the West Kowloon cultural project. Wearing Santa hats and chanting slogans, they marched from the Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui to the site of the West Kowloon project near Kowloon Station.
The Action Group on the Protection of West Kowloon Cultural District estimated about 1,000 people had taken part, although police put the number at 200.
Their biggest concerns were the decision to allow a single developer to handle the project and the construction of a huge canopy as part of the design.
After the crowd arrived at the project site, participants threw up their Santa hats, in a symbolic gesture against the canopy.
Former Democratic Party chairman Yeung Sum said: 'If the government sells the 40 hectares of land through normal procedures, the income can reduce the budget deficit.'
Kwok Ka-ki, legislator for the medical sector, accused the government of holding a fake public consultation.