The National Emblem of the People’s Republic of China at the Chinese Liaison Office in Hong Kong on July 28, 2019. Demosisto/TelegramLast weekend, protesters defaced the Chinese national emblem outside the Hong Kong Liaison Office, Beijing’s top representative in the city. It was seen as a symbolic act of defiance against the Chinese Communist Party, which Beijing quickly condemned.
A spokesman for the State Council, China’s ruling body, said the actions “openly challenge the authority of the Central Government, touch the bottom line” of the “one country, two systems” model that has operated in Hong Kong since the city transferred from British to Chinese rule in 1997.
This time, the Liaison Office is taking no chances. As protesters earlier today marched from Central toward Causeway Bay, they noticed a protective plastic barrier over the emblem.
The protests have grown increasingly hostile and destructive, with protesters often throwing eggs, ink, and even bricks at the police.