(30 Jun 2007)
1. Wide of protesters coming up against police lines
2. Various of protesters pushing against police
3. Various of scuffles between protesters and police
4. Pull out to wide of Falun Gong protest march
5. Mid of Falun Gong marching with banners
6. Close-up of policeman
STORYLINE:
Pro-democracy protesters scuffled with police as the former British colony prepared to mark the 10th anniversary of its return to China.
The demonstrators, who were demanding more democracy, for Hong Kong tried to push their way through police lines with little success.
The protest coincided with the visit of Chinese leader Hu Jintao.
Hu arrived in Hong Kong on Friday to attend the celebrations marking the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China and the swearing-in ceremony of the third-term government of the HKSAR.
Since Hu arrived, several demonstrations have been held, including by Falun Gong, the spiritual group banned on the mainland but legal in Hong Kong.
On Saturday, members of Falun Gong also held a protest march.
Since British rulers left on July 1, 1997, China has tried to encourage people to have a deeper feeling for the motherland and consider themselves Chinese citizens, not "Hong Kongers" or distinct from their mainland compatriots.
To hammer home this point again, a fireworks show on Sunday night was expected to spell out "Chinese people" in red pyrotechnics over the city's famous harbour.
But much more work needs to be done on the patriotic front, according to recent polls.
A survey by the University of Hong Kong said this month that 55 percent of the respondents identified themselves as "Hong Kong citizens" or "Chinese Hong Kong citizens."
Before the handover, there were worries that Hong Kong would be overrun with Chinese soldiers who would help stifle dissent in the freewheeling city.
The fears were fed by the memory of troops and tanks crushing the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests in Beijing.
That crackdown, which killed hundreds, possibly thousands, horrified many Hong Kongers, who sympathised with the demonstrators and donated money and supplies.
But since the handover, the Chinese soldiers based in Hong Kong are rarely seen on the streets in uniform.
During holidays and other special occasions, they organise public military displays on their bases, and people stand in long lines to get tickets for the events.
Hu planned to leave on Sunday before pro-democracy groups hold an annual street protest in the afternoon.
The activists and lawmakers are demanding the right for Hong Kong voters to directly elect their leader and entire legislature.
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Ещё видео!