Half Million Protest(July 1, 2004 Hong Kong) Photo Gallery by Kevin Chan at pbase.com

Half Million Protest(July 1, 2004 Hong Kong)

Timeline:
- (Feb 10, 2004) Chinese officials say only "patriots" are fit to run Hong Kong, and that "the Hong Kong government must listen to the central government's opinions" regarding constitutional changes.
- (April 25, 2004) Beijing deals a major blow to Hong Kong's democrats by ruling out direct elections of Chief Ecexutive in 2007 and for all legislators in 2008.
- (May 2004) Three Hong Kong's most outspoken radio commentators quit the airwaves, claiming they have suffered political pressure.
- (June 4, 2004) 80,000 Hong Kongers take part in a vigil on the 15 anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre.
- (July 1, 2004) Today...because the hope for democracy in Hong Kong is getting narrow and narrower, 530,000 Hong Kongers are here to voice out their wishes.

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The day over 34 deg C	On position	The Major Motto	The Commander
Music encouraging	Open your eyes and look!	Return power to people	We love Hong Kong, We love demorcracy.
Buddy, thanks for the help.	Voice out their wants	For Freedom, I am Ready.	Patient
An eye catching Banner	We want Freedom of Speech from radio	We want radio commentators back	Protect our Victoria Harbour
Freedom in the Birdcage	Angry Soul	Live reporting	I won't fell down

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comment |

Gary Pollard		08-Jul-2006 03:01
Great photos Kevgin. I've been living in Hong Kong since 1978, and we both know the legnths some will go to to keep views of democracy out of sight. As for those who ask why no calls for democracy under British rule, the point is HK was ruled BY a democracy then even if it wasn't a democracy itself. That usually, not always, tends to make people behave decently. Now it's ruled by a totalitarian state. Democracy is seen as a protection. You should post some pictures of the government offices in Central. A hundred years under the Brits and there were no bars around them. Within months of the Handover, there were. It's a telling image. Love your night shots of Hong kong too. After spending long enough here, it's hard to see the city with fresh eyes.

Silver		29-Aug-2004 04:47
Brilliant photos!!

Guest		24-Aug-2004 11:35
This is a great gallery of excellent documentary images

kaihui		03-Aug-2004 21:22
Agree with Kevin. Why didn't Hong Kong ask election for governors when they were ruled by Brits? BTW, half million people in Hong Kong is nothing. Majority of Hong Kong people are happy. The tree democracy is to listen to the majority.

Tiger		03-Aug-2004 01:36
Interesting pictures. I am curious why people in Hongkong never asked for the rights to elect their governor when they were under British rule. They should have done this 100 years ago.

Guest		02-Aug-2004 05:05
Impressive Work: I can imagine myself looking at this pictures in 50 years... These are the pictures that define our memories. Thanks a lot for sharing. Matias, Chile

Guest		29-Jul-2004 15:12
Kevin, Great work! Photography is an art, it is subjective. There is no right or wrong. I appreciate your effort of capturing the moments at 7.1 Keep it up, no matter what others say! Gerald

Guest		17-Jul-2004 06:19
great images...

KIU WAI LAM		15-Jul-2004 17:49
Great pictures and capture the life of Hong Kong People.

Guest		14-Jul-2004 00:48
How did those taiwanese said: "your first time, all the world is looking at". An international joke.

Codino Divino		13-Jul-2004 16:28
Good work. I am so tired about this (politics) this year that I went to watch SpiderMan2 instead. Hope this will not become an annual event on 1Jul. Maybe a good event for those who have no event on the public holiday.

Scum		13-Jul-2004 16:18
According to today's report, there were only slightly more than 0.1 million people. Even a fool knows there were not as much as 0.5 million which is the max that the anti-gov claimed, minus people like you who were actually touring rather than protesting. I have not heard any of my friends joining the parade.

The Whittakers of Reading, MA		11-Jul-2004 14:48
Incredible, moving photography! The B&W adds to the drama! History in the making! It is great to see these photographs, as the regular news media don't even begin to show what is in the heart of the people of Hong Kong!

Tom		11-Jul-2004 03:25
Hello, my compliments for your nice photos! Please come see my photos sometime? Best regards, Tom from The Netherlands. http://members.lycos.nl/tomjutte/

Tom Tom		10-Jul-2004 23:41
Kevin Excellent photos. I grew up in Hong Kong and I moved to Australia 15 years ago. However, I still follow news in Hong Kong and I used to listen to Tai Pan's "Tea Cup" program on the internet everyday. I'm very angry that he has been pressured to quit. When you look around the world, people in countries like Iraq and Indonesia are starting to directly elect their head of state but Hong Kong people still aren't allowed to do it. Hong Kong remains one of the last places in the world where this is the case. Hopefully one day our fight for freedom will succeed in direct elections. -- Tom

Guest		10-Jul-2004 07:31
^0^ kevin, keep up your great work, i appreciate your photos~~~

Kevin Chan		09-Jul-2004 19:51
Mr. Wiseman, To be honestly, i really respect what you write on my gallery, if not, I won't even keep yr message for overnight when u had yr first comment posted. however, as i mentioned before, what is yr intention on writing the second message? because you still feeling un well after you drop the first comment, and think somthing new to say the day after u woke up? have you ever think about my position? i respect yr comment, i really do , thats why i keep it, but the next day i again find something new from the same person, it's quite annoying, and when will be the end? the protests only want a better governance, but not independence. do they have such right to go for the protest? and on the other side, the government also have the right to reject their wants. both sides have their own rights, so what exactly you angry for? Government have their point of view, can the protests have too? furthermore, i m just a photographer, i just taking an event's photographs, and i don't stand for anyside. it's an "editorial" purpose gallery, the rule for editorial purpose images is to state the background, and tell the viewers what is going on for the images. this is what i learn from the school. actually you can easily found many other july 1 portest gallery in pbase other then mine, but do i need to delete all the images that you will feeling happier? "You deleted my comments, probably because you could not bear to see the truth except your own biased pictures. Truth also hurts, I know. I am sorry." Mr. wiseman, just go ahead and believe what u think, but no need to say sorry.

Guest		09-Jul-2004 18:52
When you said that "marchers go to the protest once per year", then why are you posting your "protesting" pictures day after day. As long as they are up, they will invite comments. You have the right to delete my comments, but you may not have the right to censor comments. You deleted my comments, probably because you could not bear to see the truth except your own biased pictures. Truth also hurts, I know. I am sorry.

Kevin Chan		09-Jul-2004 17:45
Mr. Wiseman, I respect every word from your first message you drop on my site, and i never decide to delete it. However, when I found your "SECOND" message which left to my gallery, i suspect that this so called "wiseman" seems going to leave one new message to gallery per day. and you ask about where is the "freedom of speech?" when i deleted your messages? i tell you why, the marchers go to the protest once per year, but you drop a new message to my gallery per day. That's why i deleted your messages. did the protest images really makes you angry day by day and result you have to leave something new on my gallery day by day? If you got nothing to do on the day and night, just go surfing some other sites that will make you happy. I just worry you will got your heart attack if you keep on watching my gallery as well as other people's messages. also, if you register the Pbase account aims to dropping messages to someone in order to release your anger everyday, but not uploading images to the account, pls, you have right to waste your time, but you don't have the right to waste mine.

Guest		09-Jul-2004 16:28
When you removed my comments, it just showed that while you preached "democracy" you did not practice what you preached. Where is your "Freedom of Speech, eh?" All other comments on this page probably were written by the same one person, I suspect.

Guest		08-Jul-2004 22:23
Thank you Kevin for record such event for us oversea Hong kong people to see. great job you've done

Guest		07-Jul-2004 16:24
My narrow mind can't conceive of why some governments are so afraid of free speech and basic human liberty.

Guest		07-Jul-2004 11:23
Thnak you for sharing these images. You have my respect and, for what it is worth, my support for you and all of the other supporters in this cause. I live in the USA, and have written letters to all of my federal representatives asking them to support the HK effort for freedom and fair representation. "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." -Margaret Mead

Guest		07-Jul-2004 04:41
Thanks so much for sharing these excellent photos, Kevin. I was a native Hong Konger myself before moving to the USA w/ family in my early years. Still have relatives there although I have not kept up very well w/ HK news and events. I hope these photos (and others like it around the net) receive a very large viewing audience around the world and encourage the international community (and the USA especially) to help pressure China into maintaining democracy in HK while also opening up the mainland some more. Peace... _Man_ PS: You have my vote here.

Tim Osborn		06-Jul-2004 17:28
Very moving images. Freedom should be the first basic right for all Citizens. As we respect the right of others to disagree with our opinions, as we fight for the rights of others all over the world, as we fight against oppression and human suffering... so to must we encourage those who risk losing so much to have their voices heard... those who are willing to fight the difficult fight to obtain what many of us take for granted... Freedom. To those who protest for freedom know that you are in our thoughts. May your difficult efforts become lasting realities! Excellent pictures by the way, thanks for taking the time!

Guest		06-Jul-2004 15:33
Glad to see you are not going to let the Mainland walk all over you. Once you have the taste of Freedom, it's hard to let it go. God Bless and good luck!!

Jonathan F.		06-Jul-2004 04:47
It's amazing how little western (US) media does to cover something like this that actually pertains to true liberty and freedom. I'm sure that for financial reasons, the United States would not do anything to upset the mainland chinese government. I hope things go well for Hong Kong and I support your efforts.

marvsemail@woh.rr.com		05-Jul-2004 21:45
Wow! Nice Work. This nearly brings tears to my eyes. As we wind up our 4th of July celebrations in the USA, this is a reminder of what freedom really means. I hope more of my people and the people around the world see this and reflect on what a treasure freedom is. I don't know when, perhaps soon, I believe one day you will get what you are fighting for. Marv

Fredrik from Sweden		05-Jul-2004 21:05
Never give up! I hope the world will not forget you in your struggle for freedom of speech and democracy. You are my heroes!

Guest		05-Jul-2004 16:52
very very nice pics~~ a lot to learn from you!! btw, how come all b&w? did you see my 7.1 pics too?? ^^

Guest		03-Jul-2004 18:54
nice!! show your other pics too!!!!

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