On Monday, a group of Hong Kong pro-democracy activists rallied outside the Thai consulate in Hong Kong to show solidarity with protesters in Thailand demonstrating against the monarchy and the government.
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in cities over the weekend in defiance of a government crackdown.
Around a dozen Hong Kong Citizens held banners displaying the message “Stand with Thailand” outside the consulate. Joshua Wong, one of the leaders of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, was among them.
The small turnout could be partly explained by social distancing measures introduced in Hong Kong to fight the spread of the coronavirus which ban groups larger than four from gathering in public.
Links have grown between protesters in Thailand and Hong Kong in a movement called the “Milk Tea Alliance”, referring to drinks popular in both places. Seen as advocating for democracy, the movement’s netizens in Hong Kong, Thailand and Taiwan have unleashed a wave of online criticism of China.
One Facebook group called ‘Thailand and Hong Kong Together’ listed items that people could donate to the Thai protesters, including raincoats, ammonia and loudspeakers.
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