By the Associated Press
HONG KONG — Thousands of demonstrators in Hong Kong marched to the US Consulate on Sunday, urging President Donald Trump to "liberate" their city as they press for more democratic freedom in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.
Protesters wave United States flags and carry placards during a protest in Hong Kong, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019. Demonstrators in Hong Kong plan to march to the US Consulate on Sunday to drum up international support for their protest movement, a day after attempts to disrupt transportation to the airport were thwarted by police. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu/MANILA BULLETIN)
Protesters converged at a park in central Hong Kong before marching, chanting "Resist Beijing, Liberate Hong Kong" and "Stand with Hong Kong, fight for freedom."
Many of them, clad in black shirts and wearing masks, waved American flags and carried posters that read "President Trump, please liberate Hong Kong." Riot police stood to watch during the march to the nearby US Consulate.
"Hong Kong is at the forefront of the battle against the totalitarian regime of China," said Panzer Chan, one of the organizers of Sunday's march. "Please support us in our fight."
Hong Kong has been rocked by a summer of unrest kicked off by a proposed law that would have allowed criminal suspects to be sent to mainland China for trial. Many saw the extradition bill as a glaring example of the Chinese territory's eroding autonomy since the former British colony was returned to China in 1997.
Hong Kong's government promised last week to withdraw the bill — an early demand of protesters — but that has failed to appease the demonstrators, who have widened their demands to include other issues, such as greater democracy.
The unrest has become the biggest challenge to Beijing's rule since Hong Kong's return from Britain. Beijing and the entirely state-controlled media have portrayed the protests as an effort by criminals to split the territory from China, backed by hostile foreigners.
Protesters on Sunday urged Washington to pass a bill, known as the Hong Kong Democratic and Human Rights Act, to support their cause. The bill proposes sanctions against Hong Kong and Chinese officials found to suppress democracy and human rights in the city, and could also affect Hong Kong's preferential trade status with the US.
The US State Department in a travel advisory Friday said Beijing has undertaken a propaganda campaign "falsely accusing the United States of fomenting unrest in Hong Kong." It said US citizens and embassy staff have been the target of the propaganda and urged them to exercise increased caution.
Some US lawmakers have spoken out strongly in support of the Hong Kong protesters and voiced concern about the potential for a brutal crackdown by China.
Trump, however, has indicated the US would stay out of a matter he considers between Hong Kong and China. He has said he believes the US trade war with China is making Beijing tread carefully.
Sunday's rally followed overnight violent clashes between protesters and police at several metro stations.
Protesters set fire to debris near a metro station that had been shuttered in the crowded Mongkok area but retreated after riot police chased them using pepper spray.
Violent clashes separately took place at a station in Sha Tin new town, where protesters chased police officers into the control room before riot police arrived. Several people were injured and detained.