August 18, 2019, 05:17 AM
Thousands of teachers in black openly protested in Hong Kong on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019.
As a teacher this is one of the most powerful videos I have ever seen.
— Stop Cop City (@JoshuaPHilll) August 17, 2019
Teachers of Hong Kong chanting:
“Stand by our students! Stand by Hong Kong!”
pic.twitter.com/NjaSZGSZ8E
Hundreds of Hong Kong teachers brave hot stormy weather and march up Garden Road shouting “protect our next generation!” pic.twitter.com/6bAErIxt7f
— Casey Quackenbush (@caseyquack) August 17, 2019
They opened their umbrellas to join the march and risked getting drenched, or worse, blacklisted, just to show solidarity with young protesters as heavy rain fell.
Hong Kong is witnessing its 11th weekend of demonstrations initially started by the now-shelved extradition bill.
Organised by teachers' union
The Hong Kong Professional Teachers’ Union (PTU) was the organiser of the event.
The rally, “Safeguard the next generation, let our conscience speak”, was held at Chater Garden in Central.
Different estimates
The march then proceeded to Government House, the residence of Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor.
The organiser said more than 22,000 people attended.
The police estimated the march peaked at 8,300.
Showing support for young student protesters
PTU president Fung Wai-wah said: “This is the first time teachers are joining a march that engages mostly educators in the past two months.”
Fung noted that many of those arrested and injured during protests were students.
He added: “Young people and students are our future. We need to come out and safeguard them.”
Secondary school students eyeing boycott of classes
One teacher interviewed by media said she wouldn't stop her secondary school students from boycotting Monday classes for an indefinite period of time.
This was after pro-democracy group Demosisto, co-founded by political activist Joshua Wong Chi-fung, had called for secondary class boycotts.
The night before, thousands of students gathered in Central for a rally, also at Chater Garden.
They issued a call for the United States and Britain to help Hong Kong fight for democracy.
Earlier on Friday, Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung spoke out to discourage secondary school students from the boycotting classes.
Demosisto and two student concern groups had found in a survey that thousands of students backed such action against the controversial bill.
Approved by police
Three demonstrations were planned on Saturday.
The teachers' rally was one of them.
They were approved by police.
Wet weather warning
The amber rain signal and thunderstorm warning were issued by the Observatory at 11.15am.
The march kicked off soon after 11.30am, with the amber rain signal taken down at 12.30pm.
If you like what you read, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Telegram to get the latest updates.