This archive report was first published on 25 August 2019.
On Sunday, Hong Kong police deployed water cannon trucks in a bid to disperse protesters, marking the first time the vehicles have been used in the city's ongoing protests. The move came as thousands of people marched through the streets of Tsuen Wan, a town in the New Territories, despite the pouring rain.
As the protesters erected makeshift roadblocks and dug up bricks from the pavements, police fired tear gas to disperse the crowds. The water cannon trucks, equipped with real-time surveillance cameras and multiple spray nozzles, were rolled out into the streets, with a warning sign unfurled that they would fire if protesters did not leave.
However, the police stopped short of using the water cannon, despite the escalating violence. The move has sparked concerns that the city's unique freedoms are in jeopardy as Beijing tightens its political chokehold on the semi-autonomous city.
Throughout the protests, Beijing has used a mix of intimidation, propaganda, and economic muscle to constrict the protests, a strategy dubbed "white terror" by the movement. The MTR, Hong Kong's metro, has also been rebuked by the public after appearing to bend to Chinese state-media attacks accusing the transport system of being an "exclusive" service to ferry protesters to rallies.
A second rally of a few hundred people, including family members of police, criticized the government for leaving officers to handle the brunt of the crisis, while also calling for an independent investigation into the police handling of the protests.
"I believe within these two months, police have got enough opprobrium," said a woman who asked not to be named and said she was a police officer's wife. "I really want you to know even if the whole world spits on you, we as family members will not. Remember, your job is to serve Hong Kong residents, not be the enemies of Hong Kong."
"I believe within these two months, police have got enough opprobrium," said a woman who asked not to be named and said she was a police officer's wife. "I really want you to know even if the whole world spits on you, we as family members will not. Remember, your job is to serve Hong Kong residents, not be the enemies of Hong Kong." — AFP
