Remembering Raincoat Man

Over one thousand people left floral tributes to Leung tonight

If the Hong Kong government thinks after almost 9,000 arrests in the past year that the number of protesters has shrunk to only a small group of "rioters", then it is sorely mistaken.

This evening over a thousand people came to Pacific Place in Admiralty to remember Marco Leung Ling-kit, who was the first casualty of the extradition protests exactly a year ago, and to mourn the death of "one country, two systems".

They also mourned "one country, two systems"

From around 6pm onwards, mourners came clutching white flowers to place them at the exact spot where Leung, wearing a yellow raincoat, fell to his death while trying to hang a protest banner. And the people kept coming.

And coming.

And coming.

The line stretched all the way westwards along Queensway and around the corner up Cotton Tree Drive where the west entrance to Hong Kong Park is, about 1km. The floral tributes didn't stop until 11pm. Some people waited two hours in line to reach the floral shrine.

A female retiree in her 60s told one media outlet she was arrested last year for taking part in a protest last year.

The police had opposed to march organizer Civil Human Rights Front to hold a public gathering for Leung, and she said, "Whatever the government refuses to let us do, it is the right thing to do."

Most people wore black and a white ribbon, signifying their support for a strike to protest against the upcoming national security bill.

As expected the police were standing by in riot gear ready to attack, but all they did was warn the crowd about social distancing and advised them to disperse.

Inside the mall people sang Glory to Hong Kong

Also in the tributes was a sign that read: "RIP One country, two systems 1997-2020".

Inside Pacific Place protesters shouted slogans and sang the protest anthem Glory to Hong Kong while waving flags.

There were memorials also held in Tuen Mun and Tin Shui Wai.

The sheer numbers of people show they are still keen to defend Hong Kong's rights and freedoms from the impending national security law. But will the government recognize these people's views? More importantly will Beijing?

If the national security bill is of utmost importance for Hong Kong, how come residents, who will be most impacted by it are not consulted? Why is it being done in such a secretive manner? Why are Hong Kong officials and many businesses blindly supporting it without even knowing what is in this new law?

No one is defending Hong Kong except Hongkongers themselves. A year ago tomorrow, 2 million people came out to march against the extradition bill put forward by Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor.

There are still a lot of people who love this city and feel betrayed by Beijing for reneging on the Joint Declaration, where it was promised there would be 50 years of no change until 2047.

The remembrance ended at 11pm at Pacific Place

So while Lam and her senior ministers may think they are winning the war against the protesters, they are completely underestimating the sheer anger and sadness Hongkongers have, and that these emotions being channeled through every anniversary this year.

Protesters will make sure the Hong Kong government or the world will not forget what happened in the past year.