Hong Kong marks third anniversary of June 12 protests

TOKYO: Central Tokyo was a swathe of black and yellow on Sunday, June 12, when activists from Hong Kong marked the third anniversary of the June 12 demonstrations which had called on Hong Kong authorities to withdraw the Fugitive Offenders' bill, and in which the police had carried out severe attacks.

That the issue continues to have resonance within Japan was evident in the participation of more than 200 persons, all dressed in black and carrying yellow umbrellas, the most potent symbol of the protest demonstrations in Hong Kong.

Underlining the anguish of those at the receiving end of China's atrocities, activists represented the Tibetan, Uyghur, Mongolian, Hong Kong and Taiwan communities.

An intense confrontation between anti-extradition bill protesters and the Hong Kong Police Force occurred on 12 June 2019 outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong.

The protest was sparked by the Hong Kong government's introduction of the controversial Fugitive Offenders amendment bill, which was set to go through second reading on June 12 despite mass opposition.

Thousands of protesters gathered outside the government headquarters attempted in the city and stalled the second reading of the bill, though the Police deployed canisters of tear gas, rubber bullets and bean bag rounds to disperse the protesters.

On Sunday, hundreds of people gathered around several cities around the world to commemorate the third anniversary of a crackdown on protests.

People at the Vancouver Art Gallery, Canada re-enacted scenes from a June 12 confrontation between police and protesters, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported.

Participants dressed in riot police helmets used batons against participants holding umbrellas, the report added. Dozens of Protesters held white pieces of paper, explaining they represented free speech being taken away.

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