08/30/2014, 00.00
HONG KONG - CHINA
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Hong Kong, 7 thousand policemen deployed to counter 1000 Occupy Central protesters

The democratic movement announces a demonstration outside local government offices tomorrow evening to coincide with the announcement on the Beijing draft on universal suffrage. The massive deployment of security forces is a symptom of mainland China’s fear of the democracy in the Territory.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews) - The Hong Kong government has decided to deploy more than 7 thousand officers in riot gear to guard the rally scheduled for tomorrow in front of the executive's Admiralty offices. The expected participants, all members of the Occupy Central movement, will not exceed 1000. The policemen represent a quarter of the Territory's entire police force, and are specially trained to "manage civil disobedience."

The democratic movement announced it would demonstrate at the Tamar Park from 7 to 9 pm to coincide with the announcement of the ruling of the National People's Standing Committee of mainland China on the Chief Executive's election slated for 2017. Benny Tai Yiu-ting, co-founder of Occupy, said that the event "is just the beginning of the next phase. Anyway, do not expect any sit-in."

The Committee will vote on the draft (prepared by Beijing) on the new method of election of the Chief Executive of Hong Kong. The members of the Chinese parliament - often branded as a place that approves everything the Politburo prepares- praised the draft prepared "in conformity with the reality of Hong Kong". The draft provides for universal suffrage in 2017, but the candidates vying for the office of governor shall be chosen by a committee of 1,200 members, made ​​up of people chosen by Beijing and the  local executive, as well as representatives of the business world .

The Occupy movement and the democratic parties of the Central region have repeatedly criticized this structure, which gives enormous power of veto to Beijing and has promised gigantic, albeit non-violent demonstrations and sit-ins.

The massive and disproportionate deployment of security forces for the public event tomorrow is a clear symbol of the nervousness of local government and Beijing, which fears the "germ of democracy" that could be implanted in the former British colony and from there "infect" mainland China.

 

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