Hong Kong: Demonstrators in Hong Kong marched to the US Embassy on Sunday, urging President Donald Trump to "liberate" their city as they press for more democratic freedom in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.
Thousands of people converged at a park in central Hong Kong, chanting "Resist Beijing, Liberate Hong Kong." Many of them, clad in black shirts and wearing masks, waved American flags and carried posters that read "President Trump, please liberate Hong Kong." Riot police stood watch as they began their march to the nearby US Embassy.
"Hong Kong is at the forefront of the battle against the totalitarian regime of China," said Panzer Chan, one of the organisers of Sunday's march. "Please support us in our fight."
Hong Kong has been rocked by a summer of unrest kicked off by a proposed law that would have allowed criminal suspects to be sent to mainland China for trial.
Many saw the extradition bill as a glaring example of the Chinese territory's eroding autonomy since the former British colony was returned to China in 1997.
Hong Kong's government promised last week to withdraw the bill - an early demand of protesters - but that has failed to appease the demonstrators, who have widened their demands to include other issues, such as greater democracy.
The unrest has become the biggest challenge to Beijing's rule since Hong Kong's return from Britain. Beijing and the entirely state-controlled media have portrayed the protests as an effort by criminals to split the territory from China, backed by hostile foreigners.
