Daily Mirror - 19.08.2019

mirror.co.uk MONDAY 19.08.2019 DAILY MIRROR^17

DM1ST

an independent

inquiry into claims of

police brutality and the

release of all detained demonstrators.

Among those arrested in recent days

were a 14-year-old boy and a gran.

Amid the claims about officers, a

woman lost an eye after being hit by a

police missile. Hong Kong’s chief

executive Carrie Lam said the city is on

the “brink of an abyss”.

People constantly thanked us yester-

day. Some begged us to keep reporting

“what is really happening in Hong Kong”.

Others held posters apologising for

inconvenience caused by the protests.

Sally Kim, 21, said: “We have no choice

but to cause disruption.

“Hong Kong is very special. China

cannot be allowed to get more control.

It’s like war, we’re fighting for our future.”

One message above a raft of posters

honoured peace campaigner John

Lennon by calling it the “Lennon Wall”.

The protests intensify but everyone is

so polite. We found two people cleaning

the walls of a metro station. Adam Chan,

30, said: “There was a lot of tear gas fired

here and we wanted to clean it off.”

[email protected]

@andylines

electric-pronged forks. If the

troops were ordered to cross into

Hong Kong it would be one of the most

controversial moves in history.

Many in Hong Kong are proud of its

British heritage. City centre pubs include

the Churchill and the Queen Victoria.

Hong Kong’s flag from before the

transfer of sovereignty from Britain to

China in 1997 was also waved yesterday.

It was agreed with China in 1997 that

Hong Kong would have a high degree of

autonomy for at least 50 years.

The protests started two months ago

over a controversial extradition law.

The campaign has now widened.

There are five main demands including

clearly supports the authorities, angrily

rip down the posters. It is still very tense

here after a week of violence which

forced the airport to close for two days.

Protesters have revealed they are

planning further disruption, with more

action at the airport in the coming days.

The city – one of the world’s most

important financial centres – is at the

heart of a major confrontation between

East and West. It has drawn in Donald

Trump and China’s president Xi Jinping.

China has deployed thousands of

paramilitary soldiers to a barracks four

miles from the Hong Kong border.

Yesterday they carried out exercises

involving batons, riot shields and huge

DOWAGER Dame Maggie

Dame Maggie

not keen on

‘Abbey’ habit

DAME Maggie Smith kept
producers guessing for 20
months over whether she
would return for the
Downton Abbey movie.
The actress, 84, was the
last of the TV cast to sign
for the film, to be released
on September 13, because
she feared overkill.
Exec producer Gareth
Neame and drama creator
Julian Fellowes eventually
talked Oscar-winner Dame
Maggie into reprising her
role as Violet Crawley.
Neame admitted: “When
she was completely sure
everyone was going to do
it, then she was on board.”
A source added: “Julian
and Gareth had several
teas with Maggie between
the TV finish and the film
getting the green light. It
wasn’t until spring 2018
she decided she’d appear.”

BY NICOLA METHVEN
TV Editor

VITAL Humber Bridge

North ‘losing

out in London

funding bias’

THE North is set to receive
£2,389 less per person in
transport funding than
London, a report claims.
Government’s planned
spending for the capital is
£3,636 per head against the
North’s average of £1,247.
Figures are even worse
for Yorkshire and the
Humber, at £511, and the
North East, at £519, while
the North West gets £2,
per person, says Institute
for Public Policy Research
North research out today.
Luke Raikes, of the IPPR
said: “This shows the PM
must urgently follow
through on promises to
invest in northern trans-
port and devolve power to
the North’s leaders.
“The upcoming spen-
ding review offers a chance
for Government to turn
years of Northern Power-
house rhetoric into reality.”

BY BEN GLAZE
Deputy Political Editor

1M ON MARCH

By ANDY LINES

Chief Reporter in Hong Kong

Pictures: PHIL COBURN

UP to a million people were on the

streets of Hong Kong yesterday to

take part in a march that had been

banned by the police.

Protesters also defied the elements –

gales and torrential rain – as they stayed

out for several hours to make clear their

opposition to Beijing.

Some waved the Union flag and the

US flag to antagonise China.

Veteran demonstrator Leung Kwok-

hung said: “The first thing the govern-

ment needs to do is to listen to the

people and do what they demand.”

The hundreds of thousands of people

under umbrellas at Victoria Park gave

an indication of the extent of the protest.

But there were no violent confronta-

tions, and the rally and march passed off

relatively peacefully.

The pro-democracy protesters strode

past metro stations covered with posters

comparing last week’s violence to the

Tiananmen Square massacre in Beijing

30 years ago.

Messages said: “We mustn’t let history

repeat itself.” We saw a woman, who

Mass demo in Hong Kong even

though it is outlawed by police

It’s like war, we’re

fighting for our

future. China can’t

be allowed to get

more control

PROTESTER ON WHY THEIR ACTION

SHOWS NO SIGN OF BEING CALLED OFF

PRIDE Hong Kong’s former

flag is waved during march

FIGHT GOES ON Heavy

rain did not halt protest

EYE OF

STORM

Crowd under

umbrellas in

Victoria Park