Firebrand political group People Power are aiming to create a repeat of their late-night July 1 demonstration by using online radio broadcasts to rally people gathering outside Legco today for a protest against a proposed by-election law.
The demonstration will demand the withdrawal of the bill to scrap by-elections for mid-term Legco vacancies and the resignation of constitutional chief Stephen Lam Sui-lung and all pan-democrat lawmakers. Organisers expect the rally to draw between 2,000 to 3,000 supporters.
In the aftermath of the July 1 march, hundreds of protesters brought chaos to Central as they played cat-and-mouse with police and blocked key roads.
While the key 'field commander'' during the July 1 protests was People Power lawmaker Wong Yuk-man, using a megaphone, many in the crowd of demonstrators were tuned in via ear plugs attached to their smartphones, listening to directions broadcast by online radio station Hong Kong Reporter.
'We have been doing this for several years, since I was with the League of Social Democrats. It is nothing new, but is becoming increasingly successful in mobilising people,' said Wong, who also hosts a talk-show on Hong Kong Reporter.
On the day of the annual march, the station also broadcast live from a booth outside Wan Chai's Southorn Playground, attracting 1,000 people. At night, more than 1,000 People Power supporters surprised onlookers with their show of unity in the demonstration. They marched, sat down and chanted as instructed.
With more than 1,000 people blocking traffic in Central, the overnight campaign resulted in the arrest of 231 people - the biggest number of arrests since the anti-World Trade Organisation rallies in 2005.
