Mass Protests As New Hong Kong Leader Is Sworn In

Pro-democracy campaigners have
accused police of abusing their power
and assaulting a number of their
activists at a protest to mark the 20th
anniversary of Hong Kong's return to
Chinese sovereignty.



They had been trying to march towards
the city's convention centre, where
President Xi Jinping was swearing in the
territory's new leader, Carrie Lam.



Protesters carried banners with the words

"Democracy. Self-determination",

as well as
a replica coffin, meant to signify the
demise of promised civil liberties.



One of the movement's leaders, Joshua
Wong, was taken away in handcuffs for
the second time in three days, but later
released.



He said:

"Carrie Lam ... is a nightmare for
Hong Kong.


Theoretically, the chief
executive is a bridge between the central
government and the Hong Kong people.


But Lam will be a tilted bridge.



"She will only tell us what Beijing wants,
and won't reflect what the people want to
the communist regime."



A large group of pro-China protesters was
allowed to remain, waving flags and
chanting "Long live China."


Under the "one country, two systems"
principle agreed during Hong Kong's
handover from British rule in 1997, the
territory's rights, such as freedom of
expression and the rule of law, were
meant to be protected for 50 years.


Universal suffrage was described as the
"ultimate aim".


Instead, Hongkongers on Saturday
watched career civil servant Ms Lam taking
the oath of office, after being elected with
just 777 votes by a committee stacked
with pro-Beijing loyalists earlier this year.


In his speech, President Xi made stressed
economic development as the "top
priority", and warned the territory not to
challenge China's authority.



"Any attempt to endanger China's
sovereignty and security, challenge the
power of the central government and the
authority of the Basic Law of the HKSAR or
use Hong Kong to carry out infiltration and
sabotage activities against the mainland is
an act that crosses the red line and is
absolutely impermissible," he said.



Under blue skies by the harbourside, the
Chinese flag was raised in a televised
ceremony on the same site as it had been
20 years ago, after the Union flag was
lowered.



As the national anthem played, helicopters
flew overhead with vast Chinese and Hong
Kong flags.



Ms Lam was seen wiping tears from her
eyes with a handkerchief.



There was no trace of the protest that had
taken place in the same square three days
ago, when campaigners chained
themselves to the now-gleaming golden
Bauhinia statue, and draped it in black.



The symbolic Bauhinia flower monument
had been presented to the city as a gift
from Beijing during the handover
celebrations in 1997.


Speaking in Mandarin for her inaugural
address, instead of the Cantonese dialect
widely used in Hong Kong, Mrs Lam told
assembled dignitaries she wanted to
create a harmonious society, and
described the future as "bright".



But politician and pro-democracy
campaigner Nathan Law told Sky News the
anniversary was one of "gloom".



He said
this was a time to demonstrate, not
celebrate, and to defend the territory's
rights.