Chanting “No more tear gas,” dozens of Hong Kong families with young children march to oppose the government’s handling of pro-democracy protests on the eve of keenly contested local elections.
A boy wears a gas mask during a rally to protest against the exposure of children to tear gas by police in Hong Kong, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019. U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday wouldn't commit to signing bipartisan legislation supporting pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong as he tries to work out a trade deal with China.
With police now buying canisters from China, there are rising fears that the tear gas could release toxic chemicals including cancer-causing dioxin. A local journalist covering the protests reportedly said he had been diagnosed with a skin condition linked to exposure to toxins including dioxin. Lam said she will vote early Sunday in the district council elections and hopes a win by the pro-democracy camp will make clear that Hong Kong people are united behind the movement to protect the city’s freedoms.
There was a rare repose in violence this week as protesters, anxious to validate their cause through the ballot box, hit the pause button to ensure the polls won’t be postponed. Hong Kong Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung said Saturday that the vote by nearly 60 percent of the city’s population is a “real democratic exercise,” and that a strong police presence at polling stations will ensure that it proceeds smoothly.
“We have the confidence, determination and ability to resolve the crisis, to find a way out of this storm,” Cheung said.
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