Event Summary
On 8 October 2025, five Hong Kong activists marched in Tsim Sha Tsui to condemn Israel’s war on Gaza and call for a ceasefire, marking two years since the conflict began. The protesters began at the Kowloon Mosque and marched along Nathan Road before arriving at the harbourfront, waving Palestinian flags and placards labeling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “genocidal war criminal” and calling for the “abolition of the Zionist state.” They chanted slogans including “Stop the genocide,” “Free, free Palestine,” and “From Ukraine to Palestine, occupation is a crime.” Among the participants was activist Yu Wai-pan, a former member of the now-defunct League of Social Democrats which disbanded in June 2025 after 19 years. About 10 minutes after protesters arrived at Tsim Sha Tsui ferry pier, several police officers arrived and photographed the protesters, checked identity documents including an Egyptian passport of a man who joined during a stopover at Chungking Mansions. An HKFP reporter was stopped and asked to hand over their press pass and Hong Kong ID card for identity checks, with police questioning how they knew about the demonstration. About a dozen officers then followed the protesters as they marched back to the MTR station. This demonstration represents a rare instance of public protest in Hong Kong’s current restrictive environment, demonstrating that some forms of international solidarity activism remain possible despite general constraints on public assembly and expression.