HK protest leaders seek to reassure Filipino community

Tens of thousands of people marched in Hong Kong on Sunday to demand justice for victims of the Manila hostage-taking. The city's large Filipino community staged its own memorials for the dead.

Reuters

Demonstrators slammed the Philippine government's handling of Monday’s siege in Manila which left eight Hong Kong tourists dead.

The demonstrators observed three minutes' silence as they gathered in a Hong Kong park, many wearing yellow ribbons and carrying white flowers, the traditional Chinese colour of mourning.

The march was not a sign of anger, insists Martin Lee of the Democratic Party which helped organise the event.

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Comment: Martin Lee, Democrat Party

Salil Sarkar

“What they’re expressing is their sorrow on what happened and their disappointment and anger about they way the [Philippine] government handled the whole situation," he told RFI. “Even the Filipinos in Hong Kong are expressing the same thing – they thought that their government has mishandled the whole issue.”

Organisers asked demonstrators not to carry placards or chant slogans hostile to Filipinos. The city has a 200,000-strong Filipino community, most working as low-paid domestic helpers, and many have voiced fears of retribution.

Several hundred Filipinos turned out to a candlelight vigil and Hong Kong labour activists tried to reassure them that anger was not directed at them.

A Facebook site to remember the victims has attracted thousands of signatures and a flood of criticism directed at the Philippine government.

Hong Kong undersecretary for security Lai Tung-kwok said on Saturday that autopsies have been carried out on all eight victims, which may lead to an official inquiry.