Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

I raise developments in Hong Kong, which I presume will be included on the agenda of foreign affairs at the European Council meeting. If anyone still believes that protest does not work, he or she should look at what has happened in Hong Kong. Last Sunday, there was probably one of the largest protests in history, with 2 million people on the streets shaking the entire region and showing the power of a mass movement. It was against an unelected Hong Kong Government, backed up by and interconnected with one of the most brutal dictatorial regimes in the world, namely, that of the Chinese Government. The protest of 2 million people came after the suspension of the proposed extradition law, which is what caused the movement. It shows that the unelected government in Hong Kong and the Beijing regime are in retreat but that the movement is on its front foot. The extradition law was part of Beijing's attempt to tighten its control over Hong Kong in restricting democratic rights. It was an initiative of the Chief Executive, Ms Carrie Lam, but it is clear there was at least the tacit agreement of the Beijing regime. The oppression faced by the movement was and is incredible. More tear gas was used in one day - 12 June - than in the entire 79 days of the so-called umbrella revolution five years ago. Rubber bullets were used against peaceful protesters, while tens of young people were arrested on spurious charges of riot and so on. The retreat of the regime and the unelected Government in Hong Kong has caused a serious crisis for the Chinese dictatorship, with the mass movement posing a powerful challenge to its attempts to tighten its control over the territory. The New York Times correctly stated it was the largest single retreat by China since Xi Jinping came to power six years ago. The dictatorship fears that the example of mass resistance in Hong Kong can spread over the border and inspire workers, farmers, young people and national minorities in China to resist.

The movement continues to go forward. It is clear it will not accept the concession of a suspension of the extradition law. Instead, the demands on which the movement are rallying are clear, namely, the full cancellation of the extradition law; the resignation of the so-called gang of four, including Ms Lam, the Chief Executive, her justice and security ministers and the chief secretary; and an independent public investigation of the police violence on 12 June and of the classification of the protest as a riot, which allows young people to be arrested, of whom there have been 24 thus far, and face up to ten years in jail if found guilty.

I pay tribute to the actions of socialists in Hong Kong and other socialist activists involved in the movement. They were to the fore in raising the demand for a political general strike against the oppression, a strike which is now very popular and is instrumental in trying to achieve the demands I outlined. The movement has been to the fore in the struggle for democratic rights, which is intimately connected to a challenge to capitalist rule in Hong Kong. Capitalists and big business within Hong Kong, as is the case in mainland China, are intimately connected with the regime, benefit from the so-called stability that results from the oppression and are fully integrated. The struggle for socialist change is intertwined with the struggle for democratic change and poses the need for a revolutionary democratic constituent assembly, as well as struggling for a workers' government which can spread throughout the country and interconnect with the emerging workers' movement in mainland China, despite the oppression.

On the response of the EU and the Government, the former issued a statement that was classic in its approach of turning a blind eye and blaming all sides. It stated restraint should be exercised by all sides. Millions of protesters are faced with brutal oppression through tear gas, rubber bullets and arrests. There is no equivalence between the two sides. The position of the Government has been deafening in its silence and lack of official statements, which I suspect is because of the wish to have business connections with Hong Kong and mainland China rather than disrupt them. If any members of the unelected Hong Kong Government visit Ireland or Europe, they should and will be met by substantial protests and solidarity with the ongoing movements in Hong Kong.

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