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SCMP Reporter

CELEBRATIONS to usher in the SAR's fourth year were overshadowed by protests yesterday.

More than 4,000 people from about 40 groups representing teachers, students, civil servants and grassroots workers, took turns to vent their grievances in a series of marches.

Many of the marchers directed their anger specifically at Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa. A number of demonstrations last Sunday drew 5,000 people to the streets, but those protests were against particularly government policies.

University students led the biggest march yesterday afternoon. Some 3,700 participants from 32 groups took part, roaring anti-Tung slogans and waving banners as the crowd moved from Victoria Park to the Central Government Offices.

Unhappy with his policies and reforms, they chanted 'Down with Tung Chee-hwa' and brandished posters portraying caricatures of Mr Tung and senior officials. At one point a small group of radicals set alight an effigy of Mr Tung.

Protesters also burned banners and 'ghost money' outside the Central Government Offices, symbolising their wish for the Government to 'die'.

Also in the crowd were right-of-abode claimants who lost their right to stay in the SAR after Mr Tung turned to Beijing to overturn a Court of Final Appeal ruling last year.

The vice-chairman of the Democratic Party, Dr Yeung Sum, said Mr Tung had turned the SAR into a 'city of protests' by trying to push through measures without consultation.

Alex Li Chi-tak, of the Hong Kong Federation of Students, which organised the students' march, said: 'We have different forces joining here to tell Mr Tung what he has done is wrong. We want general elections and a democratic system.' There was a heavy police presence and the student protesters were kept under close surveillance.

Officers had warned the students their march was illegal as they failed to apply for a permit seven days in advance as required by law. But a police spokesman said officers had been tolerant and only issued a 'verbal warning' to them.

Last Monday, police used force and sprayed pepper to disband students and other protesters during a human rights rally outside the Central Government Offices.

Earlier yesterday morning, about 200 teachers marched to the Central Government Offices in protest at proposed language tests for teachers. At least six other groups staged rallies against government housing and social welfare policies.

At 8am, Mr Tung led about 500 senior officials, dignitaries and community leaders at a flag-raising ceremony beside the Wan Chai waterfront which was also punctuated by noisy protests.

Scuffles broke out as activists from the April 5th Action Group pushed over the police barricades more than 1km away. Officers swiftly stopped the protesters and confiscated their loud-hailers after receiving four complaints about noise from people at the ceremony.

Three policemen were reported to have suffered minor injuries during the scuffles.

A group of people who bought into aborted mainland property projects also staged a rally near the venue, accusing Mr Tung of failing to offer assistance.



Protests mar anniversary