HK police arresting an activist
On December 17 (yesterday) afternoon, thousands of representatives from farmers, fishers, workers, migrants, women’s, students and other civil society organizations marched from Victoria Park to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in a demonstration to protest against the destructive policies of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). At around 5.00 pm, they were stopped by the police, who used pepper spray, water hoses and eventually, tear gas, to disperse them. Many demonstrators were injured and some were hospitalized.
After this, at least 900 demonstrators sat peacefully on Gloucester Road, singing songs and dancing, but were surrounded on all sides by the police in full riot gear for over ten hours. By 3.30 am this morning, the police started to arrest the demonstrators and the arrests are continuing into today. Reports from the legal support group and those arrested reveal that those kept on Gloucester Road were not allowed food, water and bathroom facilities; many were constrained in extremly painful handcuffs and some were even strip-searched.
We, coming from organizations, social movements and networks from across the world, denounce the actions of the police, and strongly protest against the use of such excessive force against the demonstrators and the inhuman treatment of those arrested. We stand in complete solidarity with the demonstrators, who have been so deeply and desperately impacted by the systemic violence of WTO policies.
We urge all members and delegates of the WTO to join us in calling for the immediate release of these political prisoners.
STAND BY THE PEOPLE!
ActionAid International
Alliance of Progressive Labour
ARENA, New Zealand
Argentinian Campaign against FTAA
Asian Migrant Centre, Hong Kong
Asia Pacific Movement on Debt and Development
ATTAC Argentina
ATTAC Germany
BUKO Campaign Against Bio-Piracy, Germany
California Coalition for Fair Trade and Human Rights, USA
Centro de Derechos Humanos, Tepeyac, Mexico
Alliance of Progressive Labour
ARENA, New Zealand
Argentinian Campaign against FTAA
Asian Migrant Centre, Hong Kong
Asia Pacific Movement on Debt and Development
ATTAC Argentina
ATTAC Germany
BUKO Campaign Against Bio-Piracy, Germany
California Coalition for Fair Trade and Human Rights, USA
Centro de Derechos Humanos, Tepeyac, Mexico
Centro de Estudios Para el Cambio el Campo Mexicano (CECCAM), Mexico
Centro de Investigaciones Economicas y Politicas de Accion comunitaria, Mexico
Christian Abels, Germany
Coalition Against Trafficking in Women Asia Pacific (CATW-AP)
Consumers Association of Penang, Malaysia
Focus on the Global South
Food and Water Watch, USA
Frente Autentico del Trabajo, Mexico
Friends of the Earth, Malaysia
Friends of the Earth, International
German Watch, Germany
Global Exchange, USA
Hemispheric Social Alliance, Latin America
Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU)
Hong Kong Peoples’ Alliance (HKPA)
IBON, Philippines
INSIST
International Brotherhood of Teamsters, USA
IRC Americas Programme
Jubilee South
Migrant Forum in Asia
National Family Farm Coalition, USA
Network for Safe and Secure Food and Environment
REBRIP, Brazil
Red Mexicana de Accion Frente al Libre Commercio
Red Ncl Genero y Economia, Mexico
Sina Waidelic, Germany
Sindicato de Trabajadores Universidad de Morelos, Mexico
Stop the New Round Coalition, Philippines
The Council of Canadians
Third World Network
Union Nacional de Trabajadores, Mexica
War on Want, UK
World Development Movement, UK
Centro de Investigaciones Economicas y Politicas de Accion comunitaria, Mexico
Christian Abels, Germany
Coalition Against Trafficking in Women Asia Pacific (CATW-AP)
Consumers Association of Penang, Malaysia
Focus on the Global South
Food and Water Watch, USA
Frente Autentico del Trabajo, Mexico
Friends of the Earth, Malaysia
Friends of the Earth, International
German Watch, Germany
Global Exchange, USA
Hemispheric Social Alliance, Latin America
Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU)
Hong Kong Peoples’ Alliance (HKPA)
IBON, Philippines
INSIST
International Brotherhood of Teamsters, USA
IRC Americas Programme
Jubilee South
Migrant Forum in Asia
National Family Farm Coalition, USA
Network for Safe and Secure Food and Environment
REBRIP, Brazil
Red Mexicana de Accion Frente al Libre Commercio
Red Ncl Genero y Economia, Mexico
Sina Waidelic, Germany
Sindicato de Trabajadores Universidad de Morelos, Mexico
Stop the New Round Coalition, Philippines
The Council of Canadians
Third World Network
Union Nacional de Trabajadores, Mexica
War on Want, UK
World Development Movement, UK
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