By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, June 29: Twenty-six members from three political parties, including legislative councilors Leung Kwok-hung and Nathan Law and Demosisto Convenor and Umbrella Movement leader Joshua Wong were arrested on the eve of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s first visit to Hong Kong today.
Xi’s visiting Hong Kong to mark the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover to China. In protest against his visit, activists occupied and chained themselves on the gold statue of a Bauhinia flower, a six-meter high sculpture symbolizing the handover of Hong Kong.
The activists also called for the release of Nobel Peace Laureate Lui Xiaobo and to give Hong Kong a ‘real full fledged democracy’.
“Hong Kong people will continue to fight for democracy until the day we get our rights,” said Wong while other protesters chanted slogans such as ‘The World is Watching, Only Xi Jinping Cannot See’.
Expecting big protests during Xi’s address on 1 July at the Golden Bauhinia Square, more than one-third of the Hong Kong Police Force is expected to be deployed for security.
The United Kingdom after ending its 150 years of colonial rule handed Hong Kong back to China on 1 July 1997. The city has since functioned under China with One Country Two System having its own laws, government and freedom. Even since Xi became China’s president, situations have got worsened in Hong Kong.
