Thousands of Hong Kong residents are in the streets for the anniversary of the city’s 1997 return to Chinese rule, to demonstrate against Beijing’s growing influence on the city and its impact on everything from inequality to media freedom.
Organizers say the turn out could be Hong Kong’s largest demonstration in a decade. As many as 500,000 protesters were expected to march on the muggy, rainy afternoon of July 1st—a few days after almost 800,000, or 22% of the population, voted in an unofficial referendum on how the city should elect its leaders.
Here’s what the demonstrations looked like as of the late afternoon:
