Wednesday, 24 Apr 2024

Scale of Hong Kong march explained in photos

Organisers say two million people have turned out for a demonstration in Hong Kong, the latest large protest against a controversial extradition bill.

But what did the protests look like on the ground?

We collated images taken within a short time of each other that show the extent of the crowds in Hong Kong on Sunday.

The numbered photographs below correspond to map locations – all taken while the crowd snaked through the city.

Victoria Park – rally point

Taken shortly before the official start of the march at 14:30 local time, this was the staging area for the crowds. More arrived for hours, as train stations were overcrowded and people could not reach the city.

It took hours for the park to mostly clear – but more than four hours later, there remained a steady stream of dozens leaving the area to catch the march’s tail.

Paterson Street

The recognisable ring at the base of Paterson Street light rail station is seen here – as the crowds from Victoria Park surged along Yee Wo Street towards Hennessy Road, which formed the main route.

Sogo, Hennessy Road

The Sogo department store at Causeway bay lies at the junction of Yee Wo Street and three side streets – a natural converging point for the crowds. Police largely left the nearby adjoining streets along the route open the crowds.

Hysan Place

Hysan Place, just down the road from Sogo, shows the crowds stretching off in multiple directions. At times, the sheer number of people on the route slowed the pace to a crawl. This photograph was taken more than two hours after the march began – just 500 metres from the starting point.

Looking back towards Canal Road flyover

The shadow of the Canal Road flyover can be seen just at the top of this photograph, as the march continued down the main thoroughfare.

Hennessy Road near Wan Chai

Wan Chai, the busy commercial district, was next. This street usually accommodates two to three lanes of traffic in both directions, plus the light rail system down the centre – but not on Sunday.

Admiralty – remembrance held

This photo was taken earlier in the day, as well-wishers formed a long but orderly queue at Pacific Place to lay flowers at the site where a protester died the night before. The man fell from scaffolding he had climbed and stayed on for hours, after unfurling a banner against the extradition law. The march would later wind around the area, known as the Admiralty, before heading for government buildings.

Legislative council complex – rally end point

The first arrivals at the legislative buildings – the rally’s end point – came not long after the march began. But those behind them took hours to navigate streets that were filled to capacity, with crowd control in effect at train stations. Large crowds were still present on the city’s central streets well after nightfall.

Photographs are subject to copyright of the relevant agencies.

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