Students excluded from official July 1 ceremonies For "security reasons"

The date is the anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China. Some student sites planned to occupy the square as early as the night before to disturb the flag-raising ceremony. With the extradition law the principle "one nation, two systems" is destroyed. Open letter on "Supportfor Hong Kong at the G20" published in various newspapers around the world.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews) - The territorial government has asked students and school pupils not to attend the official events of July 1st. This date commemorates the return of Hong Kong to the motherland (in 1997) and is celebrated every year with a flag-raising ceremony at the Golden Bauhinia Square, on the island's seafront (photo 3). Political magnates and international guests are involved in Hong Kong and popular China, surrounded by an atmosphere of patriotism.

But this year, students - even of middle schools - are among those who have marched and continue to demonstrate against the extradition law which seems to destroy the principle "one nation, two systems" on which Hong Kong's liberal society is based .

The Government Office for Internal Affairs said the decision to exclude students and young people in uniform is taken as a "safety precaution".

Hours before the directive, the websites of some young protesters has posts suggestion they occupy the Golden Bauhinia Square from the previous evening, to be ready the next day to disturb the ceremony.

Yesterday and today, in several newspapers around the world, an ad appeared with an open letter asking G20 leaders to stand in solidarity with Hong Kong and its population, entitled "Support Hong Kong at the G20" (photo 2). Yesterday the Guardian in Great Britain published it; the Süddeutsche Zeitung in Germany; the Globe and Mail in Canada. The organizers confirm that the open letter will also be published by the New York Times and Politico in Belgium.