'These actions hurt Hong Kong': Officials slam 'irresponsible' parallel trading protesters who return to Sheung Shui after six-month lull
After a six-month lull, marchers returned to streets in opposition to cross-border parallel trading with police making only one arrest
The first demonstration against cross-border parallel trading, after a half-year lull, was mostly peaceful yesterday while government officials ramped up their rhetoric against the "extremely irresponsible" protesters.
The only arrest was Ray Wong Toi-yeung of Hong Kong Indigenous, whose group helped organise similar protests earlier this year, for allegedly assaulting a police officer on a footbridge near Sheung Shui MTR station.
About 150 people marched along streets lined with pharmacies and shops which mainly cater to mainland visitors who travel to Hong Kong to buy daily necessities ranging from infant formula milk to instant noodles. Some resell the goods for a profit in Shenzhen.
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Police presence was heavy with a ratio of at least one police officer to each protester.
Economic secretary Greg So Kam-leung called the protesters "extremely irresponsible" for hurting the economy and livelihoods. "These actions come at a cost," So said. "The cost is the adverse impact on Hong Kong's economic development, the tourism industry and the livelihoods of others."
Unlike previous protests, which have often descended into violent clashes and police pepper spray, yesterday saw marchers and about a dozen counter-protesters from pro-Beijing groups simply exchanging insults.