Fewer and fewer Hong Kong residents are supporting protests in the city against a Chinese security law. At the same time, the majority of residents are still opposed to the legislation. This is evident from a poll among the population, conducted by news agency Reuters.
Where in March these protests received support from 58 percent of the inhabitants of Hong Kong, it has now dropped to 51 percent. In March, 28 percent were still outspoken against the protests, now it is 34 percent.
56 percent of survey participants say they are, or are somewhat opposed to, the new security law China has passed. 34 percent are in favor and the other 10 percent have no opinion.
Large-scale protests have been taking place in the semi-autonomous Chinese city of Hong Kong for more than a year. Protesters want more democracy and less Chinese influence in the city. The protests flared up again in March for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak, but this time with fewer participants.
The protests ranged from peaceful protest marches to violent clashes with police and counter-protesters. In May, hundreds more protesters were arrested and the police used tear gas.
Before the poll interviewed Reuters a thousand random respondents by phone. The results were weighed with the latest demographic figures.
China adopted security law in May
Last May, the Chinese parliament paved the way for a new security law.
The exact content is not yet known, but the intention is a package of measures to monitor the prohibition of state-undermining activities, terrorism, the pursuit of independence and foreign interference. Critics argue that it will mainly be a way to further strengthen the grip on Hong Kong.
The law is expected to provide, inter alia, for the establishment of a Special Security Council, which will gather intelligence and deal with crimes against security rules. The council would be headed by Hong Kong administrator Carrie Lam, with oversight from Beijing.
Critics fear that China will sideline Hong Kong’s independent legal system. Both Hong Kong and Chinese authorities deny this.
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