There were no placards, no rhythmic chants or clashes with the police. Instead, Hong Kong's lawyers hoped a dignified silence would highlight their fears for the rule of law as they took to the streets last night.
About 850 people took part, more than 550 of them from the legal profession, according to organisers with the Article 45 Concern Group. Police later put the number of marchers at 500.
They were protesting against the imminent interpretation of the Basic Law by the National People's Congress Standing Committee over the length of tenure of the next chief executive.
Alan Leong Kah-kit of the Article 45 Concern Group said the march was an important expression of concern over the damage the interpretation would do to the city's 'one country, two systems' principle and rule of law.
Dressed in black, barristers, solicitors, law students and members of the public marched from the High Court in Admiralty to the Court of Final Appeal in Central.
Prominent lawyers taking part included Johannes Chan, dean of the University of Hong Kong's law faculty, Michael Blanchflower SC, former Bar Association chairman Edward Chan King-sang SC and Denis Chang Khen-lee SC. But current Bar Association chairman Philip Dykes SC and Law Society president Michael Lintern-Smith did not take part.
