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Thousands march for democracy in HK
Monday, December 05, 2005
REUTERS
HONG KONG: Tens of thousands marched in Hong Kong on Sunday for the right to directly elect their leaders and to protest against a package of electoral reforms pushed by the city's chief executive and Beijing.
With organisers putting the number of protesters at quarter of a million, the march could irritate China's Communist Party leaders and embarrass Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang.
Police said 40,000 people gathered at the city's Victoria Park, but thousands more protesters wearing 'Hong Kong loves democracy' stickers joined as the march snaked between skyscrapers to government offices.
A government spokeswoman declined to comment on the march and demands of organisers.
The protest evoked memories of July 2003, when an economic slump and disaffection with the then chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa, drew half a million people onto the streets of the former British colony.
Tsang, who took over from Tung this year, refuses to budge on his reform proposals.
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