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Call for 'one person, one vote' rings loud and clear at July 1 march in Hong Kong

Protesters at Monday's July 1 march expressed frustration and anger at the Leung Chun-ying administration, calling on the Hong Kong chief executive to step down. Catch what you missed, minute by minute, here.

 

"I am here for universal suffrage. And I want CY Leung to step down because he has been lying," says protester Chan Yee-ying, 60.

July 1 march
Protesters at Monday's July 1 march expressed frustration and anger at the Leung Chun-ying administration, calling on the Hong Kong chief executive to step down. Follow @SCMP_News and our live updates here.

Pro-democracy activists marched from Victoria Park in the afternoon. They headed to Chater Garden in Central.

 

At the same time, a pop concert, the Hong Kong Dome Festival, was held at the former Kai Tak runway. Critics of the concert have said it is meant to detract young people from the July 1 march.

A pro-government rally was also held at Tamar.

Send us your photos via SCMP's iScoop function on the News Pulse app, or via e-mail at [email protected]

9.30pm

Organisers of the march estimate 430,000 people turned out for the demonstration. That's a big discrepancy with police estimates of 33,500 participants.

7.13pm

"I think the government should listen to the people, and they should not do what they think is the best. They should do what the people think is the best," says one marcher in SCMP's video recap.

Additional reporting by Ernest Kao

6.30pm

Police estimate 33,500 people marched out of Victoria Park on Monday, up until 5.45pm. Organisers have not yet released their figures.

That is much fewer than last year's turnout. Police estimates for the July 1 march in 2012 put the figure at 55,000 people starting the park, with the total peaking at 63,000.

6.13pm

What do you think the turnout was today? The highest number of protesters for the July 1 march was in 2003, when half a million marched, angered by proposed national security legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law.

6pm

Protesters are still arriving in Central.

5.45pm

The Hong Kong government releases a statement in response to the march, saying that it "fully respects" freedom of expression. It will "listen to [marchers'] views in a humble manner".

The statement re-iterated Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying's earlier pledge to launch a consultation on universal suffrage for the 2017 election. 

"The government will implement universal suffrage for the chief executive election in 2017 strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Basic Law and the relevant decisions of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress," it said.

5.30pm

An instagrammer spots local Hong Kong band RubberBand at the march after their appearance at the Dome Festival across the harbour. 
RubberBand had at one point thought about pulling out of the pop concert, held this afternoon at the former Kai Tak runway. They were answering to critics of the concert who condemned it as a political tool to keep youngsters away from the annual pro-democracy rally. 

5.22pm

Soaked protesters take a break. The programme at Chater Garden will not start until 7pm.

Former chief secretary Anson Chan Fang On-sang was seen earlier in Causeway Bay.

5.06pm

"I feel this year's crowd is not big. Many people were marching individually," says participant Kitty Chan, 25, at Chater Garden. "I don't know if it is because the police is controlling the crowd.

Protesters slowly trickle into Statue Square.

... but Yee Wo Street back in Causeway Bay was still packed.

5pm

Onstage at Chater Garden, march organisers have called on police to open up all lanes in Causeway Bay. Many protesters are still stuck in Causeway Bay.

4.56pm

Meanwhile across the harbour at the former Kai Tak runway, attendees at the Dome pop concert were wading in water.

4.46pm

Typhoon signal No 3 is still in force as the march reaches its destination. The rain did not appear to dampen the protesters, who when they started at Victoria Park filled three of the six football pitches at 2.40pm.
Another carnival, held by the Voice of Loving Hong Kong, had attracted about 100 people in Tsim Sha Tsui, reports the Post's Joshua But

4.40pm

The scene at Chater Garden. Civic Party member Tanya Chan on left:

... and protesters from Macau:

4.30pm

The first marchers arrive at Chater Garden in Central.

4.25pm

"Protect our home, protect Hong Kong!"

4.20pm

Flags seen at the march include the British colonial flag, the Taiwanese flag, among other political emblems.

4.15pm

A reader watching the march submits photos from his perch in Causeway Bay.

Another reader submitted a photo from a different vantage point.

4.10pm

4.05pm

4pm

Video: Crowd is heard chanting, "Quit CY Leung!"

3.58pm

People surround the Scholarism stall in Causeway Bay to donate money.

"We want universal suffrage. I support Scholarism because they are our hope for the future," says Nancy Fung, 50, who just donated money to the group.

"We not only ask for universal suffrage, but also ask for everyone's right to nominate the chief executive," says Scholarism leader Joshua Wong.

CY Leung is depicted as the joker.

3.50pm

A leader of the anti-national education group says police stopped him from handing out leaflets in Wan Chai.

The flyer was later passed out to marchers:

3.44pm

3.36pm

3.35pm

Pro-democracy activists also display Free Liu Xiaobo posters, to call for the release of the Nobel Peace Prize winner.

3.30pm

Seen and heard on the street:

"We will never give up. We demand a democratic government for China."

"I am a Hongkonger and I want real universal suffrage."

"Say no to China"

"Chinese colonists, get out!"

3.28pm

3.20pm

Scholarism activist Joshua Wong protests against police violence.

"We want universal suffrage, we want one person, one vote. That's the reason we are here," Wong said onstage.

Protest sign calls Chief Executive CY Leung the "Thief Executive"

3.15pm

Protesters are prepared with umbrellas as they set off in the rain on the annual march.

3.13pm

"I am here for universal suffrage. And I want CY Leung to step down because he has been lying," says protester Chan Yee-ying, 60.

3.10pm

3.08pm

"I am here to ask for Hong Kong people's rights to rule Hong Kong. And university students need more jobs," says university student Poon Ho-fung at the march.

3pm

Protesters at Victoria Park start marching.

They chant that this year's march is meant to be a challenge to CY Leung.

2.54pm

2.49pm

Drenched marchers gather at Victoria Park. 

2.47pm

2.45pm

2.42pm

Meanwhile on Hennessy Road...

2.39pm

At the pro-government rally at Tamar, lawmaker Regina Ip and Chief Executive CY Leung stop by before the show is cut short by rain.

Video: Regina Ip leaves pro-government rally

2.36pm

"It makes me feel proud to be Chinese, don't you feel proud?" says the MC at the pro-government rally.

2.30pm

Pro-government rally begins in Tamar, Admiralty.

About 200 to 300 people, mostly elderly, waved their flags.

2.26pm

2.23pm

Hong Kong Dome Festival begins even though typhoon signal No 3 was hoisted. Organisers had earlier said that the pop concert would be cancelled in the even of a T3.

“If the show cancels now, those teenage girls would probably jump into the sea. They are hardcore K-pop fans,” said a concert staff member. “Some have camped out here for five days.”

Reporting by Jeremy Blum, Patrick Boehler, Silvio Carrillo, Xenia Chan, Vicky Feng and Ernest Kao

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