Hong Kong and Catalonia show mutual support with parallel rallies

The pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong has called a rally on Thursday evening in support of the protests in Catalonia and in favour of the right to self-determination. The same day, Catalan pro-independence  supporters will rally in front of the Chinese consulate in Barcelona.

Hong Kong protesters are planning to organise an unprecedented rally on Thursday evening to show support for self-determination protests in Catalonia. The event is pending a letter of no objection from the police.#hongkong pic.twitter.com/QvxMlXd7dy

— Hong Kong Free Press HKFP (@hkfp) October 21, 2019

Catalan pro-independence flags have been seen in Hong Kong demonstrations over the last days.

The main protest along Nathan Rd. Catalan flags and chants of “Hong Kongers resist!” 香港人反抗 pic.twitter.com/L4Rgd1kJ3m

— Antony Dapiran (@antd) October 20, 2019

Also, this message from a Hong Kong activist to the “freedom fighters” in Catalonia has become very popular in social nets.

Joshua Wong

One of the most recognizable faces of the pro-democracy student movement in Hong Kong, Joshua Wong, has expressed his concerns over the ”excessive use of force by the police” in Catalonia. In a week of protests throughout Catalonia after the verdict of the independence trial was released, in which nine of the leaders behind the 2017 referendum were condemned to jail sentences of between nine and thirteen years, police was specially active beating protesters and firing foam and rubber bullets, which have led to four people losing sight in one eye.

Wong has condemned ”state violence” and defended that ”people in Hong Kong and Catalonia both deserve their right to determine their own destiny.” The student, aged 23, broke to the fore of Hong Kong politics in 2014 for his role in the Umbrella Movement. Now he is secretary general of Demosistō, a political party that defends the rights of citizens of Hong Kong and is in favour of holding a referendum over Hong Kong independence from China. In 2018, he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.