Hundreds rally to call for humanitarian aid for HK

Hundreds rally to call for humanitarian aid for HK

Several hundred people gathered at Edinburgh Place in Central on Saturday evening to hold prayers and call for international humanitarian support for Hong Kong, amid the ongoing anti-government protests.



The participants, some of them waving US flags, sat on the ground, arranging themselves to spell out "SOS". The crowd also held up neon lights which read "Free HK".



They prayed for the city and those who have been injured during the many weeks of protests, as well as those they said had "sacrificed themselves" for the cause.



One of the participants, a woman surnamed Lai, said the police are denying arrested protesters access to medical treatment, and officers prevent first-aiders from helping those injured at the scene of protests.



One of the demonstration's organisers, meanwhile, read out a statement saying that Hong Kong is now facing a humanitarian crisis.



"We hope that the international community can hear our call for help and send staff to Hong Kong to provide voluntary emergency medical service," the organiser said.



"We also hope that the international community will urge the HKSAR government to ensure that all medical and humanitarian workers are protected from any violence and to respect patients' timely access to medical assistance, free of fear."



Police had given permission for the rally from 7pm, on the condition that people dispersed before 8.30pm.