Elderly take to the streets in support of Hong Kong’s young extradition bill protesters, saying they understand source of anger

Organiser says 9,000 people attended march on Wednesday evening from Central to government headquarters, while police put number at 1,500

Crowd led by Occupy co-founder Reverend Chu Yiu-ming, renowned singer and actress Deanie Ip and film director Shu Kei

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The marchers walked from Chater Garden in Central to the government headquarters in Admiralty. Photo: Winson Wong

Published: 10:48pm, 17 Jul 2019Updated: 10:02am, 18 Jul 2019

An estimated 9,000 marchers, mostly elderly citizens, took to the streets of Hong Kong on Wednesday evening to show their support for young people who have been at the forefront of protests against the extradition bill, organisers said.

Led by Occupy Central co-founder Reverend Chu Yiu-ming, renowned singer and actress Deanie Ip Tak-han and film director Shu Kei, the crowd marched from Chater Garden in Central to the government headquarters in Admiralty, carrying a banner that read: “Support youngsters. Safeguard Hong Kong”.

Police put the attendance at 1,500.

The crowd, mostly dressed in white, also displayed two black banners with the words “Opposed to institutional violence” and “We want universal suffrage”.

Silver-haired protesters make their feelings about the bill known. Photo: Winson Wong

Chu, serving a suspended sentence for his role in the 2014 Occupy campaign for greater democracy, said the march was a new page in the city’s social movements.