Numbers dwindle at lunchtime rallies in Hong Kong, but protesters vow to return in force for Sunday’s human rights march
- Protesters fear movement is losing momentum after success in district council elections
- Civil Human Rights Front planning gathering in Victoria Park this weekend
In cold weather and rain, an increasingly small number of Hong Kong demonstrators continued their daily lunchtime protests in Central and Kwai Chung on Thursday.
Protesters have vowed to hold a major march on Sunday, starting at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay, but this time there was no attempt to block roads in either area.
At 12.45pm, a few dozen people gathered at a footbridge outside Exchange Square in Central, chanting political slogans and yelling, “see you at Victoria Park”.
Ms Cheung, 30, who works in the finance industry, said she had joined lunchtime protests in Central “almost every day”, but felt there had been a drop in momentum, pointing to the pro-democrats’ success at the district council elections as one reason for that.
“I worry that people’s passion might dwindle and that they might stop fighting for the demands,” she said.
“If everyone returns to their normal lives and stops fighting, what many have sacrificed, including those who were charged, jailed, and have given up their futures, would all turn into dust. I hope people won’t forget our cause.”