Category Archives: Protest

Boris Johnson claims: ‘We have a way to get Brexit done’ – live news

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Follow the latest fallout from decision to suspend parliament amid mounting fears about a no-deal Brexit

A hearing at the High Court in London relating to a bid to challenge the suspension of Parliament will take place on Thursday 5 September, a spokesman for the judiciary has confirmed.

The spokesman told PA:

“A hearing into an application for judicial review received from Gina Miller with the Prime Minister as defendant has been fixed for Thursday 5 September 5 2019 at the Divisional Court in Court 4 at the Royal Courts of Justice, with the Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett presiding.

“The court will first consider the request for the case to be heard and, if it agrees, a full hearing will follow the same day. Further information will be given early next week.”

Here’s a summary of what’s happened so far today:

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Hong Kong protests: Joshua Wong and other pro-democracy figures arrested

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Wong and fellow activist Agnes Chow subsequently released

Several prominent pro-democracy figures have been arrested in Hong Kong in an apparent crackdown on protests that have plunged the city into its worst political crisis in decades.

The democracy activists Joshua Wong and Agnes Chow, former student leaders of pro-democracy protests in 2014, were arrested on Friday and Andy Chan, the head of a now banned pro-independence party, was detained by police on Thursday. Wong and Chow were charged with offences including taking part in an unlawful assembly on 21 June 21 at Hong Kong police headquarters and released.

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Hong Kong’s ‘be water’ protests leave China casting about for an enemy

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Beijing’s worldview cannot conceive of a leaderless movement: there have to be saboteurs behind it

On Friday morning, as Hong Kong woke up, the news came in as thick as the incessant rain: Andy Chan Ho-tin, the head of the outlawed Hong Kong National party, was arrested overnight at the airport as he was about to go to Japan.

Then came the news of Joshua Wong’s arrest – one of the most famous pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong. Wong’s name became known in 2012 when, at 15, he organised the protests against the national education curriculum. The curriculum was seen as an attempt at instilling patriotism in Hong Kong’s youth, but described as “brainwashing” by Wong and his supporters. He was one of the leaders of the Umbrella Movement, in 2014 – for which he served time in jail, and is still facing a number of charges. Among the Umbrella Movement’s leaders was Agnes Chow: she, too, was arrested on Friday. Wong and Chow are the co-founders of the political party Demosisto, which, like Chan’s Hong Kong National party, is one of the organisations that emerged from the Umbrella Movement.

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Up to seven dead in West Papua as protest turns violent

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At least one Indonesian soldier and six civilians have been reportedly killed in the restive region

Up to six protesters and one soldier have been killed in clashes across the restive West Papua and Papua provinces, although protesters and police dispute how many have died.

A source at one protest in the Deiyai Regency told The Guardian on Thursday that police had fired lived rounds into a crowd of demonstrators outside the regency offices on Wednesday. Six people were killed and two seriously injured, the source, who requested anonymity fearing reprisals, said.

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Nationwide protests as Boris Johnson suspends parliament – video

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Protesters across the UK took to the streets to demonstrate against the Queen’s approval to prorogue parliament on the request of the prime minister. Boris Johnson confirmed the government will suspend parliament in September with a Queen’s speech on 14 October, which would drastically reduce MPs’ ability to influence changes to the Brexit deal or seek a delay

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The Hong Kong Way protest shows enchantment is a powerful weapon | Antony Dapiran

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Peaceful protests like this human chain help to counteract the violence and cynicism shrouding the city

It almost felt like magic. A few people standing on the street were joined by a few more; people lining the footpath of one block connected to those on the next block. And suddenly, there they all were. Hand in hand, chanting slogans and singing songs. On 23 August, the 30th anniversary of the Baltic Way – a human chain linking the capitals of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to demand the Baltic republics’ independence from the Soviet Union – more than 200,000 people came out on to the streets of Hong Kong to form the “Hong Kong Way”. From the crowded streets of Wan Chai on Hong Kong island, to the famous waterfront of Tsim Sha Tsui, to the suburbs of the New Territories, to the peak of Lion Rock, people linked hands in a continuous human chain that some said measured 60km in total.

This was just the latest action in Hong Kong’s ongoing anti-government protest movement calling for democratic reforms. As a protest action, it was incredibly effective: entirely peaceful, a striking visual spectacle, and a very physical manifestation of the broad support for the movement from across the community. People of all ages and from all walks of life, families with young children, the elderly – all joined the chain and put paid to any suggestion that these ongoing protests were just a few hot-headed young student agitators. But perhaps most importantly, the Hong Kong Way created a moment of enchantment.

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Hong Kong: anti-surveillance protesters tear down ‘smart’ lamp-post – video

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Activists targeted several 'smart' lamp-posts equipped with sensors, cameras and data networks in anti-surveillance protests over the weekend. Protesters, many of whom disguised their identities with masks and umbrellas, fear the devices can be used by China to collect personal information. Authorities insist the lamp-posts only collect air quality, traffic and weather data

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Police draw guns and deploy water cannon in clashes with Hong Kong protesters – video

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Hong Kong riot police fire warning shots and use water cannon for the first time since protests began in June to break through barricades and disperse crowds. The escalation in tensions came on the second consecutive day of violence, after clashes the night before during which police arrested 29 people

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Hong Kong protests: police use water cannon on demonstrators

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Hundreds of thousands had braved rain to stage peaceful march in triad-linked district

Hong Kong police have fired teargas and for the first time used a water cannon to disperse protesters as a weekend of violent clashes dashed hopes of a return to peace after a week of relative calm.

Hundreds of thousands of people had earlier braved rain on Sunday to stage a peaceful, police-sanctioned march in Tsuen Wan, an area of the city noted for its links with triad gangsters, after clashes on Saturday when police fired rounds of teargas, rubber bullets, pepper balls and sponge rounds at protesters.

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French climate activists protest as Macron attends G7 summit

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Marchers carrying inverted portraits of president demand more action on climate crisis

Hundreds of climate activists have marched in south-western France carrying portraits of President Emmanuel Macron that they had illegally removed from town halls and which police had been seeking to recover amid a judicial crackdown.

As the G7 leaders met in Biarritz, demonstrators from a nationwide civil disobedience movement demanding more action on the climate emergency appeared in nearby Bayonne brandishing dozens of portraits the state accuses them of stealing from civic buildings.

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Hong Kong riot police beat protesters at anti-surveillance rally

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Teargas thrown at masked demonstrators angry over lamp posts equipped with CCTV

Hong Kong riot police have fired rounds of teargas, rubber bullets, pepper balls and sponge rounds, and beaten people, as protesters led them on a game of cat-and-mouse across the city. The actions took place after a peaceful afternoon march into a confrontation and split into several impromptu marches in different locations.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators took part in an anti-government rally in the Kwun Tong district in Kowloon on Saturday, marking the city’s 12th week of protests. The peaceful march, sanctioned by police, turned into a tense standoff between riot police and protesters by mid-afternoon after demonstrators built barricades with bamboo rods and plastic traffic barriers outside a police station.

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Biarritz in lockdown as G7 summit descends on French resort

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More than 13,000 police arrive in town with authorities saying any unrest will not be tolerated

The French seaside resort of Biarritz is under lockdown by security forces ahead of the G7 summit, with more than 13,000 police as well as a special magistrates court set up to try anyone committing offences.

The historic centre of the Basque town was emptied of tourists on Friday before the arrival of leaders of the world’s advanced economies including the US president, Donald Trump, and the UK prime minister, Boris Johnson, who will hold three days of talks on global issues from the climate emergency to trade wars.

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Hong Kong protesters form 30-mile human chain across city – video

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Thousands of protesters have formed a human chain across Hong Kong on the 30th anniversary of the Baltic Way, when about 2 million people created a chain across Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to protest against Soviet occupation. More than two months of protests began in June over a now-suspended extradition bill, but have and have since expanded into a wider movement against the erosion of liberties under Chinese rule

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‘We are trying to save Hong Kong’: the political uprising through the eyes of a protester – video

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As protests in Hong Kong entered their 11th week, the Guardian's Lily Kuo shadowed a protester for the day as he joined a major anti-government rally. Organisers say the march, banned by police, was attended by as many as 1.7 million people. It was the first peaceful gathering of protesters for many weeks.

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Twitter removes nearly 1,000 accounts tied to China’s campaign against Hong Kong protesters

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Company also suspends thousands of accounts as it reports ‘state-backed information operation’

Twitter has removed nearly 1,000 accounts and suspended thousands of others tied to a campaign by the Chinese government against protesters in Hong Kong, the company announced on Monday.

Twitter disclosed a “significant state-backed information operation” originating from within the People’s Republic of China (PRC) targeting the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong. It removed 936 accounts and suspended approximately 200,000 accounts its investigation found were illegitimate.

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Hong Kong protesters express their demands as thousands gather in demonstrations – video

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Hundreds of thousands of Hongkongers flocked to a downtown park for a rally after two months of increasingly violent clashes that have prompted severe warnings from Beijing and failed to win concessions from the city’s government. Torrential rain came down an hour into the rally, turning the park into a sea of colourful umbrellas. Many began walking on the streets, despite the police ban on a march, as the park became overcrowded

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Hong Kong: 1.7m people defy police to march in pouring rain

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An estimated quarter of the population fill downtown park and surrounding streets

An estimated 1.7 million people in Hong Kong – a quarter of the population – defied police orders to stage a peaceful march after a rally in a downtown park, after two months of increasingly violent clashes that have prompted severe warnings from Beijing and failed to win concessions from the city’s government.

Huge crowds filled Victoria Park on Sunday afternoon and spilled on to nearby streets, forcing police to block traffic in the area. Torrential rain came down an hour into the rally, turning the park into a sea of umbrellas. At the same time, protesters walked towards Central, the heart of Hong Kong’s business district, and surrounded government headquarters.

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Portland sees far-right and counter-protesters take to streets – video

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Oregon city saw its largest far-right demonstration of the Trump era on Saturday, as 500 rightwingers travelled from around the country to march back and forth across the city’s bridges, and briefly occupy a patch of its waterfront. City authorities succeeded in preventing head-on confrontations between the demonstration and a much larger counter-protest. Police said they made 13 arrests, and seized weapons throughout the day

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Portland rally: Proud Boys vow to march each month after biggest protest of Trump era

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Oregon city sees sporadic violence and a dozen arrests as Donald Trump and Proud Boys chairman denounce anti-fascists

Portland saw its largest far-right demonstration of the Trump era on Saturday, as 500 rightwingers traveled from around the country to march back and forth across the city’s bridges, and briefly occupy a patch of its waterfront.

By making extensive accommodations for the unpermitted rightwing protest, including close police escorts, concrete barriers, and reopening a bridge to allow them to leave the downtown area, Portland authorities succeeded in preventing head-on confrontations between it and a much larger counter-protest.

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