Another rowdy rally in Hong Kong

Hong Kong was a colony of the British until 1997 when China regained sovereignty under the principle of “one country, two systems”, which means it’s governed by China but maintains a capitalist economy (although the distinction is becoming less clear). Turns out the people of Hong Kong don’t like either one. When Chinese president, Hu Jintao came to Hong Kong to swear in Leung Chun-ying as Chief Executive of Hong Kong, the event coincided with annual July 1st pro-democracy protests. Leung is a millionaire real-estate developer in a country where housing for working people is in a crisis & many live in underground cages. At the 2011 rally, Leung called for “curbs on rowdy rallies”. This year, protestors burned Leung’s portrayal as a devil in effigy, demanded he step down, & called for full democracy, including for their rowdy rallies. They also called on the Chinese president to hold a thorough investigation of the death of labor activist Li Wangyang (which the Chinese government labeled suicide but which is more likely an assassination by them.) (Photo by Vincent Yu/AP)