HONG KONG
Thousands of Hong Kong’s Public Servants have joined anti-Government protests for the first time since they began two months ago, defying a warning from the authorities to remain politically neutral.
Chanting encouragement, crowds turned out to support the Public Servants at their rally which halted traffic on major roads in the heart of the city’s business district.
The rally came after an open letter penned anonymously and published on Facebook set out a series of demands to the Hong Kong Government by a group which said it represented Public Servants.
“At present, the people of Hong Kong are already on the verge of collapse…it is a pity that we have seen extreme oppression,” the letter said.
The group also listed the five demands that have become a mantra of the protesters: Complete withdrawal of a Bill authorising extradition to China; a halt to descriptions of the protests as ‘rioting’; a waiver of charges against those arrested; and an independent inquiry and resumption of political reform.
Earlier the Government had fired a stern warning to Public Servants telling them to remain politically neutral and to have “total loyalty” to the city’s leader or risk consequences.
“Any acts to undermine the principle of political neutrality of the Civil Service are totally unacceptable to the Government as this will damage the public’s confidence and give a wrong impression to the public that Civil Servants are unable to discharge their duties in an impartial manner,” the Government said.
It expressed opposition to behaviour that would mislead the public into thinking that views of those protesting represented all 180,000 Public Servants.
It also noted that some Public Servants had issued anonymous letters to share their views on the Bill controversy, but said it was difficult to ascertain writers’ identities as the letters were anonymous.
Hong Kong, 3 August, 2019
