Hong Kong protesters pushed to sidelines as Duterte prepares to meet local Filipino community
Organisers bemoan police actions to protect Duterte from protest groups during Hong Kong visit
Filipino migrant workers and members of local human rights groups will take to Hong Kong’s streets on Thursday to protest the three-day visit of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.
Duterte is also expected to receive a petition from student activists urging him to reconsider the recall of Jalilo Dela Torre, the country’s former labour attaché to the city.
Some 203,600 domestic workers from the Philippines work in Hong Kong and the petition, launched two weeks ago by Students Against Fees and Exploitation, has more than 1,000 signatures.
“We want to take this opportunity to raise awareness of the widespread human rights violations in the Philippines and also to touch on some issues that are relevant to Hong Kong, including the removal of the labour attaché,” Eman Villanueva, spokesman for the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body, said.
Eight migrants’ groups in the city, along with local organisations, are expected to gather at 11am in an area near a bus terminal on Middle Road, in Tsim Sha Tsui.