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| Hong Kong police clash with protesters after Uighur rally | Hong Kong police clash with protesters after Uighur rally |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Police pepper-spray demonstrators after peaceful protest in support of minority | |
| Hong Kong riot police pepper-sprayed protesters to disperse crowds in the heart of the city’s financial district after a largely peaceful rally in support of China’s ethnic Uighurs turned chaotic. | Hong Kong riot police pepper-sprayed protesters to disperse crowds in the heart of the city’s financial district after a largely peaceful rally in support of China’s ethnic Uighurs turned chaotic. |
| Dozens of police marched across a public square overlooking Hong Kong’s harbour on Sunday to confront protesters who hurled glass bottles and rocks at them. | Dozens of police marched across a public square overlooking Hong Kong’s harbour on Sunday to confront protesters who hurled glass bottles and rocks at them. |
| Earlier in the afternoon, more than 1,000 people had attended a peaceful rally, waving Uighur flags and posters as they took part in the latest demonstration in more than six months of unrest. | Earlier in the afternoon, more than 1,000 people had attended a peaceful rally, waving Uighur flags and posters as they took part in the latest demonstration in more than six months of unrest. |
| A mixed crowd of young and older people, dressed in black and wearing masks to hide their identities, held up signs reading: “Free Uyghur, Free Hong Kong” and “Fake ‘autonomy’ in China results in genocide”. | |
| The Arsenal footballer Mesut Özil caused a furore in China last week when he criticised the country’s policies toward the Muslim ethnic minority in the restive north-western region of Xinjiang. | |
| Özil, a German Muslim of Turkish origin, tweeted that Uighurs were “warriors who resist persecution” and criticised both China’s strong hand in Xinjiang and the relative silence of Muslims in response. | Özil, a German Muslim of Turkish origin, tweeted that Uighurs were “warriors who resist persecution” and criticised both China’s strong hand in Xinjiang and the relative silence of Muslims in response. |
| “I think basic freedom and independence should exist for all people, not just for Hong Kong,” said a 41-year-old woman surnamed Wong, who attended the protest with her husband. | “I think basic freedom and independence should exist for all people, not just for Hong Kong,” said a 41-year-old woman surnamed Wong, who attended the protest with her husband. |
| United Nations experts and activists say at least 1 million Uighurs and members of other largely Muslim minority groups have been detained in camps in Xinjiang since 2017 under a campaign that has been condemned by the US and other countries. | United Nations experts and activists say at least 1 million Uighurs and members of other largely Muslim minority groups have been detained in camps in Xinjiang since 2017 under a campaign that has been condemned by the US and other countries. |
| Beijing says it is providing vocational training to help stamp out separatism and to teach new skills. It denies any mistreatment of Uighurs. | Beijing says it is providing vocational training to help stamp out separatism and to teach new skills. It denies any mistreatment of Uighurs. |
| Protests in Hong Kong are in their seventh month, albeit in a relative year-end lull. Many residents are angry at what they see as Chinese meddling in the freedoms promised to the former British colony when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997. | Protests in Hong Kong are in their seventh month, albeit in a relative year-end lull. Many residents are angry at what they see as Chinese meddling in the freedoms promised to the former British colony when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997. |
| China denies interfering and says it is committed to the “one country, two systems” formula put in place at that time and has blamed foreign forces for fomenting unrest. | China denies interfering and says it is committed to the “one country, two systems” formula put in place at that time and has blamed foreign forces for fomenting unrest. |
| On Saturday, Hong Kong riot police swept into several shopping centres, chasing off and arresting demonstrators pressing their demands in the peak shopping weekend before Christmas. | |
| The police’s heavy-handed clampdown on demonstrations and frequent use of teargas have incensed many protesters, whose demands include full democracy and an independent investigation into perceived police brutality. | The police’s heavy-handed clampdown on demonstrations and frequent use of teargas have incensed many protesters, whose demands include full democracy and an independent investigation into perceived police brutality. |
| The protests, which started in June, have pushed Hong Kong’s economy into recession. Retailers and businesses have been hit hard as tourists stay away amid transport disruptions. | The protests, which started in June, have pushed Hong Kong’s economy into recession. Retailers and businesses have been hit hard as tourists stay away amid transport disruptions. |
| The city’s financial secretary, Paul Chan, in his blog on Sunday, said there could be a wave of business closures in the new year if market conditions did not improve. | |
| “Many companies are now clenching their teeth and struggling to maintain their businesses,” he said, adding that he hoped the violence would stop. | “Many companies are now clenching their teeth and struggling to maintain their businesses,” he said, adding that he hoped the violence would stop. |
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