Hundreds of uniformed school students, many wearing masks, formed human chains in districts across Hong Kong today in support of anti-government protesters after another weekend of clashes in the Chinese-ruled city.
“The school-based human chain is the strongest showcase of how this protest is deep-rooted in society, so deep-rooted that it enters through the school students,” said Alan Leong, an alumnus of Wah Yan College in the city’s Kowloon district. The students, brandishing posters with the protesters’ five demands for the government, called on authorities to respond to the promises of freedom, human rights and rule of law. University students were also expected to join the human chain protests during the day on their campuses.
In a rare public appearance, Lam walked around the central business district inspecting the damaged MTR station, where she chatted with staff and commuters. China denies the accusation of meddling in the city’s affairs and says Hong Kong is an internal affair. It has denounced the protests, accusing the United States and Britain of fomenting unrest, and warned of the damage to the economy.