Following the march, reporters claimed officers pushed them and protesters on a crowded footbridge near the MTR station. David Wong/SCMP
Source:
https://scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/1855865/these-actions-hurt-hong-kong-officials-slam-irresponsible Education
'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
Officials said the protesters were "irresponsible". Photo: David Wong/SCMP
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.
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.
Following the march, reporters claimed officers pushed them and protesters on a crowded footbridge near the MTR station.
Some marchers demanded to know why Wong was handcuffed while others opposed an escort provided for counter-protesters.
About 60 waited outside Sheung Shui police station for Wong's release last night. Wong and a police officer were taken to hospital for treatment.
Anti parallel trading protesters on the move through Sheung Shui pic.twitter.com/RGs3Vzx48u
— Aaron Mc Nicholas (@aaronmcnicholas) September 6, 2015
A 30-year-old employee of the Hospital Authority who joined the protest was also taken away by police before being released 30 minutes later.
"The police said they wanted a word with me, but a minute later I was taken away," said Heath Tse. "I guess I was singled out because officers asked for my ID before, during Occupy."
During the 90-minute march, some shops, such as jewellery shop Sun Tung Shing, pulled down the shutters before the procession arrived.
"[Similar protests] in the past have affected how mainlanders feel about Hong Kong and this is not good for business," said an employee surnamed Liu, "Today they were peaceful [but] I pulled down the shutters just in case."
Tourism Board chairman Peter Lam Kin-ngok said the protesters would add "more pain" to the retail industry reeling from a drop in tourist numbers and a stronger US dollar - to which the Hong Kong dollar is pegged.
Meanwhile, health chief Dr Ko Wing-man said the two-can limit on the amount of infant formula a person can take over the border remained in place.
