2010 Hong Kong new year march
Encyclopedia
The 2010 Hong Kong New Year March (元旦大遊行) was a protest that took place on the first day of the decade on 1 January 2010 in Hong Kong
. Thousands took to the streets demanding universal suffrage
as part of the on-going democratic development
. They also demanded the release of Chinese activist Liu Xiaobo
. The protest came four days after Donald Tsang
, Hong Kong’s chief executive
, was given a warning by China
’s leadership to resolve deep-rooted conflicts.
, the Hong Kong government said direct elections for the chief executive
would come in 2017, and the legislature would not be fully elected until 2020. Five pro-democracy camp legislators planned to resign en masse from legco
. In December 2009 HK launched a proposal to increase the election committee seats for the chief exec from 800 to 1,200 individuals. Liu Xiaobo
, drafter of the political reform Charter 08
, was sentenced to 11 years in prison just a month earlier.
. Layers of railings and human chains were protecting the building. More than 1,000 police officers were deployed.
About 10 activists, mostly supporters of the League of Social Democrats
, broke through a cordon and stormed into the liaison office. Des Voeux Road
was forced to close for an hour. Two police officers and one protester was injured. The protesters did not leave until 7:45pm when league members were allowed to lay a mock coffin
at the building's back entrance.
said they attracted more than the expected 30,000 people. Other sources also suggest 30,000 protesters in participation with 9,000 reported by the police.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. Thousands took to the streets demanding universal suffrage
Universal suffrage
Universal suffrage consists of the extension of the right to vote to adult citizens as a whole, though it may also mean extending said right to minors and non-citizens...
as part of the on-going democratic development
Democratic development in Hong Kong
Democratic development in Hong Kong has been a major topic since the transfer of sovereignty to China in 1997. The One country, two systems principle allows the Hong Kong government to administer all areas of government except foreign relations and defense separately from the national Chinese...
. They also demanded the release of Chinese activist Liu Xiaobo
Liu Xiaobo
Liu Xiaobo is a Chinese literary critic, writer, professor, and human rights activist who called for political reforms and the end of communist single-party rule in China...
. The protest came four days after Donald Tsang
Donald Tsang
Sir Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, GBM, KBE is the current Chief Executive and President of the Executive Council of the Government of Hong Kong....
, Hong Kong’s chief executive
Chief Executive of Hong Kong
The Chief Executive of Hong Kong is the President of the Executive Council of Hong Kong and head of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The position was created to replace the Governor of Hong Kong, who was the head of the Hong Kong government during British rule...
, was given a warning by China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
’s leadership to resolve deep-rooted conflicts.
Background
In a 2009 directive from BeijingBeijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, the Hong Kong government said direct elections for the chief executive
Chief Executive of Hong Kong
The Chief Executive of Hong Kong is the President of the Executive Council of Hong Kong and head of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The position was created to replace the Governor of Hong Kong, who was the head of the Hong Kong government during British rule...
would come in 2017, and the legislature would not be fully elected until 2020. Five pro-democracy camp legislators planned to resign en masse from legco
Legislative Council of Hong Kong
The Legislative Council is the unicameral legislature of Hong Kong.-History:The Legislative Council of Hong Kong was set up in 1843 as a colonial legislature under British rule...
. In December 2009 HK launched a proposal to increase the election committee seats for the chief exec from 800 to 1,200 individuals. Liu Xiaobo
Liu Xiaobo
Liu Xiaobo is a Chinese literary critic, writer, professor, and human rights activist who called for political reforms and the end of communist single-party rule in China...
, drafter of the political reform Charter 08
Charter 08
Charter 08 is a manifesto initially signed by over 350 Chinese intellectuals and human rights activists. It was published on 10 December 2008, the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopting name and style from the anti-Soviet Charter 77 issued by dissidents in...
, was sentenced to 11 years in prison just a month earlier.
Protest
Police security was put up around the Beijing liaison office in HKLiaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
The Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is an organ of the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China.-Description:...
. Layers of railings and human chains were protecting the building. More than 1,000 police officers were deployed.
About 10 activists, mostly supporters of the League of Social Democrats
League of Social Democrats
The League of Social Democrats or LSD is a radical pro-democratic political party in Hong Kong. Its declared purpose is to "take a clear-cut stand to defend the interests of the grassroots"...
, broke through a cordon and stormed into the liaison office. Des Voeux Road
Des Voeux Road
Des Voeux Road Central and Des Voeux Road West are two roads on the north shore of Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. They were named after the 10th Governor of Hong Kong, Sir George William Des Vœux...
was forced to close for an hour. Two police officers and one protester was injured. The protesters did not leave until 7:45pm when league members were allowed to lay a mock coffin
Coffin
A coffin is a funerary box used in the display and containment of dead people – either for burial or cremation.Contemporary North American English makes a distinction between "coffin", which is generally understood to denote a funerary box having six sides in plan view, and "casket", which...
at the building's back entrance.
Statistics
A mix reporting of different statistics on the number of people who participated. March organizers said more than 10,000 protesters turned out. Police put the number at 4,000. Pro-democracy campPro-democracy camp
Pro-democracy camp, pan-democracy camp or pan-democrats refer to the politicians and social activists in Hong Kong who support increased democracy and may work together in areas of common interest or by not fielding candidates against one another in elections.Democratic activists are usually...
said they attracted more than the expected 30,000 people. Other sources also suggest 30,000 protesters in participation with 9,000 reported by the police.
See also
- 20th anniversary Tiananmen square incident march20th anniversary Tiananmen square incident marchThe 20th anniversary of Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 was a series of rallies that took place in late May to early June 2009 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 4 June Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, during which the Chinese government sent troops to suppress pro-democracy movement...
- Hong Kong 1 July marches
- Christina ChanChristina ChanChristina Chan is a political activist in Hong Kong, known for her stand on human rights, democracy and Tibetan independence. She is enrolled in a master's degree in philosophy in the University of Hong Kong.-Early life:...