Hundreds of 'pro-democracy' supporters gathered today in Hong Kong's West Kowloon Magistrates' Court in support of the 47 dissidents formally accused by the police of subversion on Sunday, under the disputed national security law imposed by Beijing on the former colony British.
If found guilty, they could be sentenced to life in prison.
Some protesters chanted slogans including "Free All Political Prisoners" and "Stand with Hong Kong", others launched the three-fingered "Hunger Games" salute used by democracy activists in Thailand and Myanmar.
A small group of pro-Beijing protesters, on the other hand, showed banners supporting the police, with one calling for "severely punishing traitors".
Today's is among the largest protests in recent months in the city, also struggling with the restrictions related to Covid-19, while Beijing's action to crush dissent is growing rapidly after protests and reforms also violent in 2019.
The police squeeze targeted the July 2020 primary of the pandemocratic front in view of the political elections in September, postponed for a year to September 2021, promoted among others by Benny Tai and former deputies Claudia Mo, Jeremy Tam, Helena Wong and 'Long Hair' Leung Kwok-hung.
The move sparked renewed international criticism, led by the US and Great Britain, against Beijing's suppression of those freedom and autonomy promised for the duration of 50 years since the return of territories from the United Kingdom to China in 1997.
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