Dec 8, 2019

Hong Kong protests show no signs of slowing as movement enters 6th month

Jacob Knutson

Pro-democracy protesters march in Hong Kong. Photo: Anthony Kwan/Getty Images

Tens of thousands of people gathered in Hong Kong on Sunday for some of the largest anti-government demonstrations in weeks, timed to coincide with international Human Rights Day on Dec. 10, the New York Times reports.

Why it matters: The marches, which continue to be aimed at pressuring Chief Executive Carrie Lam into accepting democratic election reforms and an amnesty for arrested protesters, mark the sixth month of pro-democracy demonstrations. The notably peaceful protest was organized by Civil Human Rights Front, the first time the group has received police authorization to hold a march since August.

In photos
Protesters block a road in Hong Kong on Dec. 8. Photo: Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images
A woman runs past riot police blocking a road on Dec. 8. Photo: Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images
Demonstrators march and hold signs on Dec. 8. Photo: Anthony Kwan/Getty Images
Photo: Anthony Kwan/Getty Images
Photo: Anthony Kwan/Getty Images
Hong Kong protestors wearing masks of "Pepe the Frog," a character used by pro-democracy activists as a symbol of their struggle. Photo: Alastair Pike/AFP via Getty Images

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Rebecca Falconer

In photos: Hong Kong police use tear gas at Christmas protests

Riot police motion pedestrians away on a Mongkok district street in Hong Kong on Christmas Day. Photo: Anthony Kwan/Getty Images

A Hong Kong mall closed early as police fired tear gas to break up protests Wednesday, Reuters reports, as the city's leader Carrie Lam said on Facebook the Christmas demonstrations had "ruined" celebrations.

Why it matters: After a period of relative calm, clashes between police and protesters erupted again this week at rallies in shopping districts. On Tuesday, police also used rubber bullets, per the New York Times. Authorities hoped the withdrawal of an extradition bill that triggered the protests six months ago would've quelled the unrest that's often left the Asian financial hub paralyzed. But it looks set to continue into the new year.

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Editor's note: This article has been updated with more photos and details on the latest unrest.

Keep ReadingArrowUpdated Dec 26, 2019
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In photos: The moments that defined a decade

Obama, Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and national security team members in the Situation Room of the White House on May 1, 2011, during the operation that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. Photo: Pete Souza/The White House via Getty Images

The 2010s were marked by terrorism, major natural disasters, huge political upheaval and, in the U.S. in particular, political polarization.

Zoom in: The decade began with Democratic President Obama, political gridlock in the Republican-controlled Congress and surging partisanship. It's closing with Republican President Trump impeached by the Democratic-controlled House. A bright spot has been the the U.S. economy, which has steadily improved since the financial crisis of the previous decade.

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In photos: Cities around the world ring in the new year

Sydney's New Year's Eve fireworks show went ahead despite tens of thousands signing a petition imploring authorities to call it off because of Australia's deadly wildfires. Photo: Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images

From New Zealand to New York City, crowds have gathered to ring in the new year and the start of a new decade.

The big picture: The Pacific island nations of Tonga, Samoa, and Kiribati were the first in the world to mark the arrival of 2020, when it was still 5 a.m. on New Year's Eve on the U.S. East Coast. Here's how events have been unfolding around the U.S. and the world, in photos.

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