Why are there protests in Hong Kong? All the context you need

The protests began in June 2019 over plans - later put on ice, and finally withdrawn in September - that would have allowed extradition from ... Mediacaption,HowHongKonggottrappedinacycleofviolenceHongKonghasseenseveralmonthsofpro-democracyprotests-andChinaappearstobetighteningitsgrip.TheprotestsbeganinJune2019overplans-laterputonice,andfinallywithdrawninSeptember-thatwouldhaveallowedextraditionfromHongKongtomainlandChina.Theythenspreadtoreflectwiderdemandsfordemocraticreform,andaninquiryintoallegedpolicebrutality.Now,Chinaisproposingtointroduceanewnationalsecuritylaw,whichcriticsbelievecouldbeusedtocrackdownonrightsandpoliticalactivists.Thisisnotallhappeninginavacuum.There'salotofimportantcontext-someofitstretchingbackdecades-thathelpsexplainwhatisgoingon.HongKonghasaspecialstatus...It'simportanttorememberthatHongKongissignificantlydifferentfromotherChinesecities.Tounderstandthis,youneedtolookatitshistory.Mediacaption,TheBBC'sHelierCheungonHongKong's2019protestsItwasaBritishcolonyformorethan150years-partofit,HongKongisland,wascededtotheUKafterawarin1842.Later,ChinaalsoleasedtherestofHongKong-theNewTerritories-totheBritishfor99years.Itbecameabusytradingport,anditseconomytookoffinthe1950sasitbecameamanufacturinghub.Theterritorywasalsopopularwithmigrantsanddissidentsfleeinginstability,povertyorpersecutioninmainlandChina.HongKong'syearinsevenintenseemotionsYoung,radicalandreadyforteargasReadmoreaboutHongKong'shistoryThen,intheearly1980s,asthedeadlineforthe99-year-leaseapproached,BritainandChinabegantalksonthefutureofHongKong-withthecommunistgovernmentinChinaarguingthatallofHongKongshouldbereturnedtoChineserule.Thetwosidessignedatreatyin1984thatwouldseeHongKongreturntoChinain1997,undertheprincipleof"onecountry,twosystems".ThismeantthatwhilebecomingpartofonecountrywithChina,HongKongwouldenjoy"ahighdegreeofautonomy,exceptinforeignanddefenceaffairs"for50years.Asaresult,HongKonghasitsownlegalsystemandborders,andrightsincludingfreedomofassembly,freespeechandfreedomofthepressareprotected.Forexample,itisoneofthefewplacesinChineseterritorywherepeoplecancommemoratethe1989TiananmenSquarecrackdown,wherethemilitaryopenedfireonunarmedprotestersinBeijing....butthingsarechangingHongKongstillenjoysfreedomsnotseeninmainlandChina-buttheyarewidelythoughttobeonthedecline.RightsgroupshaveaccusedChinaofmeddlinginHongKong,citingexamplessuchaslegalrulingsthathavedisqualifiedpro-democracylegislators,andthedisappearanceoffiveHongKongbooksellers,andatycoon-whoalleventuallyre-emergedincustodyinChina.Therearealsoaccusationsthatpressandacademicfreedomshavebeendeteriorating.InMarch,ChinaeffectivelyexpelledseveralUSjournalists-butalsoprohibitedthemfromworkinginHongKong.ThepublicbroadcasterRTHKhascomeunderpressurefromHongKong'sgovernment,firstforbroadcastinganinterviewwiththeWorldHealthOrganizationaboutTaiwan,andthenfortargetingpoliceinitssatiricalnewsshow"Headliner".ThelocalexaminationsbodyalsocameunderfireforaworldhistoryquestionaboutrelationsbetweenJapanandChina,withthegovernmentdemandingtheexamquestionbeinvalidated.Thegovernmentsaiditwasaprofessional,ratherthanpolitical,decision,butmanyacademicsexpressedconcern.Mediacaption,PoliceuseteargasonprotestersAnotherstickingpointhasbeendemocraticreform.HongKong'sleader,thechiefexecutive,iscurrentlyelectedbya1,200-memberelectioncommittee-amostlypro-Beijingbodychosenbyjust6%ofeligiblevoters.Notallthe70membersoftheterritory'slawmakingbody,theLegislativeCouncil,aredirectlychosenbyHongKong'svoters.Mostseatsnotdirectlyelectedareoccupiedbypro-Beijinglawmakers.SomeelectedmembershaveevenbeendisbarredafterBeijingissuedacontroversiallegalrulingthateffectivelydisqualifiedthem.HopeanddefianceonthestreetsofHongKongWeretriadsinvolvedinHongKongattacks?HongKong'smini-constitution,theBasicLaw,saysthatultimatelyboththeleader,andtheLegislativeCouncil,shouldbeelectedinamoredemocraticway-butthere'sbeendisagreementoverwhatthisshouldlooklike.TheChinesegovernmentsaidin2014itwouldallowvoterstochoosetheirleadersfromalistapprovedbyapro-Beijingcommittee,butcriticscalledthisa"shamdemocracy"anditwasvoteddowninHongKong'slegislature.In28years'timein2047,theBasicLawexpires-andwhathappenstoHongKong'sautonomyafterthatisunclear.MostpeopleinHongKongdon'tseethemselvesasChineseWhilemostpeopleinHongKongareethnicChinese,andalthoughHongKongispartofChina,amajorityofpeopletheredon'tidentifyasChinese.SurveysfromtheUniversityofHongKongshowthatmostpeopleidentifythemselvesas"HongKongers"-only11%wouldcallthemselves"Chinese"-and71%ofpeoplesaytheydonotfeelproudaboutbeingChinesecitizens.Thedifferenceisparticularlypronouncedamongsttheyoung."Theyoungertherespondents,thelesslikelytheyfeelproudofbecominganationalcitizenofChina,andalsothemorenegativetheyaretowardtheCentralGovernment'spoliciesonHongKong,"theuniversity'spublicopinionprogrammesays.HongKongershavedescribedlegal,socialandculturaldifferences-andthefactHongKongwasaseparatecolonyfor150years-asreasonswhytheydon'tidentifywiththeircompatriotsinmainlandChina.Therehasalsobeenariseinanti-mainlandChinesesentimentinHongKonginrecentyears,withpeoplecomplainingaboutrudetouristsdisregardinglocalnormsordrivingupthecostofliving.SomeyoungactivistshaveevencalledforHongKong'sindependencefromChina,somethingthatalarmstheBeijinggovernment.HongKongersknowhowtoprotestImagesource,AFPImagecaption,Demonstrationsin2014wentonforseveralweeksThere'sarichhistoryofdissentinHongKong,stretchingbackfurthereventhanthepastfewyears.In1966,demonstrationsbrokeoutaftertheStarFerryCompanydecidedtoincreaseitsfares.Theprotestsescalatedintoriots,afullcurfewwasdeclaredandhundredsoftroopstooktothestreets.DoprotestseverworkinChina?YoungandunhappyinHKProtestshavecontinuedsince1997,butnowthebiggestonestendtobeofapoliticalnature-andbringdemonstratorsintoconflictwithmainlandChina'sposition.Mediacaption,TheBBC'sNickBeakeinsidetheLegislativeCouncilafterprotestsin2019WhileHongKongershaveadegreeofautonomy,theyhavelittlelibertyinthepolls,meaningprotestsareoneofthefewwaystheycanmaketheiropinionsheard.Asaresult,manyseetakingtothestreetsastheironlywayofforcingchange.And,inthepast,someprotestshavebeensuccessful.In2003,upto500,000peopletooktothestreetstoprotestagainstacontroversialsecuritybilltheHongKonggovernmentwastryingtopass.Thelocalgovernmentalsobackeddownover"patrioticeducation"classesfollowingralliesagainstthemove.However,theChinesegovernmenthasadoptedaharderstanceinrecentyears,particularlywithanymovementsitviewsasadirectchallengetoitsownauthority.In2014,demonstratorstooktothestreetspeacefullyforseveralweeks,demandingHongKongersbegiventherighttoelecttheirownleader.Buttheso-calledUmbrellamovementeventuallyfizzledoutwithnoconcessionsfromBeijing.Howdidthelatestcrisisescalate?InJune2019,protesterstooktothestreetsagain,demonstratingagainstplanstoallowextraditionstomainlandChina.Thistime,clashesbetweenpoliceandactivistsbecameincreasinglyviolent.Mediacaption,ThehistorybehindHongKong'sidentitycrisisandprotests-firstbroadcastNovember2019Thebillwashalted,andlaterfullywithdrawn,butdemonstrationscontinuedformonths,withdemandsforfulldemocracyandanindependentinquiryintopoliceactions.InAprilthisyear,HongKongpolicearrested15ofthecity'smosthigh-profilepro-democracyactivistsfortakingpartinunauthorisedassemblies.InMay,HongKong'spolicewatchdogsaiditfoundnosignificantwrongdoingonthepolice'spartduringthe2019protests-inareportthatwascriticisedbymanyrightsgroupsandexternalexperts.Thestreetprotestshavemostlydieddownduringthecoronaviruspandemic,althoughsomesmalldemonstrations,includingsingingprotestersinshoppingmalls,havestartedagainasrestrictionsaregraduallyeased.Now,ChinaisproposingtointroduceanewnationalsecuritylawinHongKong,whichcouldbesimilartotheonewithdrawnin2003.Itsaysthelegislationis"highlynecessary"andwould"safeguardnationalsecurityinHongKong".However,thenewproposalisalsocontroversialbecauseitisexpectedtocircumventHongKong'sownlaw-makingprocesses-leadingtoaccusationsthatBeijingisunderminingHongKong'sautonomy.RelatedTopicsHongKonganti-governmentprotestsChinaHongKongMoreonthisstoryAsithappened:ChaoticscenesasHKproteststurnviolentPublished12June2019HongKongleaderdefiantaftermassiveprotestPublished10June2019DoprotestsinHongKongeverwork?Published10June2019HugeHongKongprotestagainstextraditionbillPublished9June2019HongKong-ChinaextraditionplansexplainedPublished13December2019HongKongindependence'anon-starter'Published1April2019TopStoriesOmicroncancelsthousandsofChristmasflightsPublished10hoursagoCallerpranksBidenatWhiteHouseChristmaseventPublished5hoursagoHaltauctionofMandela'sprisoncellkey,saysSAPublished1houragoFeaturesQuizof2021:Howmuchdidyouforget,orchoosetoforget?Omicron:Goodnews,badnewsandwhatitallmeansGeorgia:Theriseoftheright.VideoGeorgia:TheriseoftherightAbandofvolunteersiskeepingclimatedenialoffthenetJamesWebbSpaceTelescope:Howdoesitwork?VideoJamesWebbSpaceTelescope:Howdoesitwork?TheBritishsingerunknownathome,butaheroinFranceTheIndian'germmurder'thatgrippedtheworldWolvesgettoocloseforcomfortfortheSwissBBCTravel:AworldheritagecityoftoleranceElsewhereontheBBCSanta'smadeanearlystopatButtonHouse...HitcomedyGhostsreturnswithaChristmasspecialFromdecorateddoorwaystotinselcladtrees...WhichpropertywillbecrownedScotland'sChristmasHomeoftheYear?MostRead1OmicroncancelsthousandsofChristmasflights2CallerpranksBidenatWhiteHouseChristmasevent3WhomightbethenextJamesBond?4PolicestraybulletkillsgirlinLAclothesshop5Frenchzooclosedafterpackofninewolvesescape6Indiaoutrageoveranti-Muslimhatespeech7FifthwomanaccusesChrisNothofsexualmisconduct8Katesurprisesaudiencewithpianoperformance9HaltauctionofMandela'sprisoncellkey,saysSA10DozenskilledinBangladeshferryblaze