美國參眾兩院將於10月15日復會,預計將開始辯論《香港人權及民主法案》。網民今日傍晚發起「香港人權法造勢大會」以聲援法案,揚言要「懲罰賣港」者,讓美國當局看見港人訴求,集會已獲警方通知,獲發不反對通知書,是蒙面惡法實施後,首個獲批的反送中公眾集會。
香港人權民主法案集氣大會籌委會透露,集會今晚7時正於中環遮打花園舉行,9時完結,而不反對通知書時間有效時間為晚上10時半。他們號召「和理非」上場,以和平、理性、優雅方式促請美國盡快通過法案。
晚上6時,集會開始前,參與人士已逼爆遮打花園,部分市民選擇站在終審法院對出一段馬路,數萬人潮更逼出遮打道及皇后像廣場。
集會除了宣讀宣言、合唱《願榮光歸香港》外,還邀請了多位嘉賓演說,包括早前參與美國國會聽證會的香港眾志秘書長黃之鋒,以及曾與訪港美國共和黨參議員克魯茲(Ted Cruz)見面的泛民議員郭榮鏗。
The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019, to punish those deemed responsible for suppressing freedoms in Hong Kong, was passed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
The US Senate and House of Representatives will resume its meeting on October 15 and expected to begin to debate the law. Netizens launch the “Rally for Hong Kong Human Rights Law” at 7 pm today to support “punishing those who sell out Hong Kong” and let the US authorities see the demands of Hong Kong people. A notice of no objection has been issued by the police. It is the first approved public rally related to extradition laws after the implementation of the mask ban law.
The rally is held at 7 to 9 pm in Chater Garden in Central and the no objection notice is valid until 10:30 pm. They called for protesters to urge the US to pass the bill as soon as possible in a peaceful, rational and elegant manner.
At 6 pm before the rally began, thousands flooded at Chater Garden on Monday night. Some chose to stand in the road outside the Court of Final Appeal. Tens of thousands overflowed to Chater Road and Statue Square.
In addition to reading the declaration and singing “Glory to Hong Kong”, the gathering also invited a number of guest speakers, including Joshua Wong, Secretary-General of Demosisto, who had participated in the US Congress hearing earlier, and Dennis Kwok, pan-democrat legislator who have met US Senator Ted Cruz who visited Hong Kong.