March against Occupy had a mainland flavour
Ranks of locals who fear for future bolstered by cross-border reinforcements hungry for action
"Welcome, our friends from Zhangzhou; thanks for making it to the end, our Shaanxi comrades!"
This was how organisers of a march against the Occupy Central civil disobedience movement yesterday gave their vote of thanks to flocks of Beijing-loyalist protesters at the end of the walk from Causeway Bay to Central.
Clans that hailed from all corners of the mainland made up a crucial part of the turnout. Their origins were on full display - T-shirts of the same colour to depict a certain hometown and banners held high proclaiming the same.
Some had their fill at sponsored dim sum lunches in restaurants before setting off from nearby Victoria Park.
But under the gruelling sun, some abandoned their mission to oppose Occupy just 500 metres into the march, near Sogo department store. One woman, who had been a marcher, asked: "Political reform? What is political reform?"
Many appeared reluctant to take reporters' questions. "I don't know how to answer", was the typical response. Nevertheless, there were plenty of furious Hongkongers - mainly the elderly - who blasted Occupy Central for "destroying Hong Kong", despite its pledge to seek greater democracy via "peace and love".
