[tml] Proteste contro il WTO ad Hong Kon

[tactical]

Report on the WTO Conference Day One Protect Actions

Written by Syaoran, Translated by Perspex
Source: InMedia HK
http://www.inmediahk.net/public/article?item_id=84236&group_id=11

The Sixth Ministerial WTO Conference officially opened today afternoon at 
3pm at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). Anti-WTO 
demonstrators from various countries had staged several protest actions. 
Most protestors actively ensured the safety of these protest actions. 
However, at times, protestors could not stand the suppression from the 
police and had some confrontations. The police shot foam pepper sprays 
several times and used police rods to attack protestors. Yet, they think 
they were using "necessary violence" to counter the "non-peaceful" acts of 
protestors.

Peaceful March Encountered Water Bottles From Above

Around 200 South East Asian fishermen rode on two yachts to protest on the 
Victoria Harbour opposite HKCEC at 10am this morning. Yet, they were 
surrounded by six ships from the Marine Police. As the Marine Department 
did not allow yachts to approach HKCEC, four protesting fishermen jumped 
into the sea to swim. It didn't result in any accidents.

At the same time, some protestors brought along protesting slogans and 
props to gather at the Victoria Park to start preparation for the Anti-WTO 
march in the afternoon. The Anti-WTO march set off from the Victoria Park, 
passed by Lok Hark Road and Gloucester Street and arrived at Wanchai cargo 
handling basin - the designated demonstration area which is quite far from 
the HKCEC. The police had set up barriers on the roadside. Up to 9,000 
policemen were on standby. Shops in Wanchai received phone alerts earlier 
on to ask them to close their shops. Several schools in Wanchai were also 
closed today upon government's request.

The front of the march set off from the Victoria Park at 2:10 p.m. The 
march was in order all the while, following the instructions from the 
organiser. It was similar to the carnival atmosphere like the Sunday march. 
In the march, slogans, songs, music and dance in different languages, as 
well as different national attires could be seen and heard. Many citizens 
observed the march on the way. There were no confrontation between citizens 
and the demonstrators. Around 3pm., People-Reporter witnessed some people 
threw down water bottles from high-rise buildings. The bottles were mainly 
targeted at South Korean protestors. Fortunately, they only made 
protestors' clothes wet without any injuries. The marchers reached Wanchai 
cargo handling basin from around 3 pm to 4 pm. Yet, although the march had 
finished, the police continued to close certain streets.

The Police Shot Foam Pepper Spray at Demonstrators and People-Reporters

At 4pm-4:15pm, around 60 Anti-WTO demonstrators jumped into the Victoria 
Harbour at the Wanchai cargo handling basic and swam in protest. The 
swimming protestors included Koreans and Hong Kong people. They wore life 
jackets and some were holding Korean national flags. The marine police 
observed their action. Some protestors tried to swim towards HKCEC but were 
surrounded by the police and could not get onshore. They later returned the 
demonstration area.

At 4:20pm., some demonstrators brought out a wooden shrine at the Wanchai 
cargo handling basic and tried to light fire. They were treated with 
violence by the police and it led to confrontation of the two sides. The 
wooden shrine was in memorial of South Korean farmer Lee King-Hai who lost 
his life in protest of WTO. There were around 200 demonstrators as compared 
to 500 policemen there. The demonstrators only lighted fire on some paper 
and clothes but not on the wooden shrine. Yet, many policemen instantly 
rushed towards them, some killed off the fire, some pushed the 
demonstrators. And many policemen took out foam pepper spray to shoot at 
the demonstrators. Few policemen used police rods to hit the demonstrators. 
Demonstrators hit back with bamboo and empty plastic bottle. However, the 
police claimed that the demonstrators "used non-peaceful actions to 
confront the police line" and that the burning of the wooden shrine had 
"serious threat to public safety".

Apart from the demonstrators, some reporters and people-reporters were also 
shot by foam pepper spray. Among them was people-reporter Little Bear, who 
need to wash with water instantly. According to Little Bear, she was not 
directly hit by the spray and she recovered in a few minutes after another 
people-reporter helped her to clean. But a reporter in front of Little Bear 
was hit more directly by the spray and showed a painful face. Also, 
Legislative Councillor Long Hair, some activists and foreigners were also 
hit by the foam pepper spray. The standoff lasted for 10 minutes. Later on, 
the leader of the gathering asked demonstrators to be calm.

Pepper Spray Again to Stop Slogan-Chanting

At 4:40pm., South Korean demonstrators were chanting slogans and hitting 
drums in the demonstration area. The police and anti-violence police, much 
reinforced now, tried to stop demonstrators from chanting slogans and had 
another standoff with demonstrators. The confrontation lasted for five to 
ten minutes. The police used foam pepper spray and police rod against 
demonstrators again. As observed by people-reporters, when the police shot 
the foam pepper spray, the demonstrators were not doing anything that may 
result in immediate danger or using extensive violence. Yet, there were 
suppressed by the police instantly.

The demonstrators started to leave the demonstration area at 5pm. Some left 
behind and sat down for gathering. When they were leaving, there were still 
many anti-violence policemen holding shields, police rods and even guns on 
standby. As observed by people-reporters, even though the sitting 
farmer-protestors did not have any actions, the policemen approached them 
with police rods from time to time. Some local people shouted at the police 
to hold back their police rods and not to trigger any confrontation themselves.

At 8pm., South Korean demonstrators discovered that among the 60 Koreans 
who jumped into the sea earlier on, five of them were missing after they 
came onshore. They suspected that the police had arrested them. The 
protestors were not satisfied with the arrangement by the police and 
negotiated with the police outside the demonstration area. Some protestors 
stay in the area to sing and dance. The police claimed that they did not 
arrest or detain any protestors and bring in anti-violence policemen to 
stand by. Later on, the police said the missing protestors were just sent 
to the aids station and promised to bring them back. People-reporter later 
confirmed that the missing protestors were sent to Wanchai Fire Service 
Department. South Korean consulate brought clothes to them.

Late on, the police brought the five missing protestors back to the meet up 
with other Korean protestors. Five Korean demonstrators were wearing in 
grey, hand in hand on barefoot. They left the Fire Service Department 
together and walked towards Wanchai north. They were surrounded by 
reporters on the way. When they met up with others again, it was 9:15pm. 
South Korean protestors were singing when they left Ma Zi Road and prepared 
to leave peacefully on couch. But some local protestors were angry at local 
television reporters at TVB who wore helmets during the live broadcast of 
the evening news. They asked the TVB reporters to take off their helmets as 
they viewed this as a way to discredit the protestors. These local 
protestors shouted "shameful" at the reporters to show their 
dissatisfaction at TVB News Department.

Police Claimed the Protestors Unpeaceful

Regarding the standoff at the designated demonstration area, WTO 
Ministerial Conference Chairperson John Tsang claimed the demonstrators 
used "non-peaceful methods" in their protest and felt "unfortunate and 
disappointed" about it. But he didn't mention that the police used foam 
pepper spray to attack them. Chief Executive Donald Tsang said the police's 
behaviour was "pretty good".

Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee accused the protestors for "too radical" 
actions and "confronting the police lines". He said the use of foam pepper 
spray by the police was "completely reasonable and legal". He said the 
police handled the situation in a "tolerant and restraint manner" and "the 
police had the capability and determination to handle any sudden crises". 
The police spokesperson further said the protestors used "non-peaceful 
ways" in their protest. He said they "should reflect on themselves". In his 
eyes, the police was only "using the minimal and necessary violence" to 
handle them, as they considered the burning of the shrine could "have 
serious threat towards public safety".

As observed by people-reporters, mainstream media like TVB, ATV, and 
MingPao instant news services focused on the lighting fire on the wooden 
shrine. But only some paper and clothes were lighted on fire but not the 
entire shrine. Apart from some people using empty plastic bottle and 
bamboos to hit back when attacked by shields, police rods and pepper spray 
from the police, the protesting South Korean farmers were pushing the fully 
equipped anti-violence policemen with their bodies only. The situation at 
the site was different from what Ambrose Lee and the police spokesperson said.

Hong Kong People's Alliance on WTO said the protestors were pretty 
restrained today. The organizer didn't agree to the burning of the shrine 
by South Korean demonstrators but they understood their feelings. Although 
some protestors jumped into the sea, the organizers regarded it as 
non-violent protest actions.

In today's protest actions, three protestors entered hospital and two of 
them had left already. The police said two policemen were injured but they 
had left hospital already.

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