Hong Kong protest cancels student trips, says P.E.I.-born teacher

Tens of thousands have taken to the streets in Hong Kong in recent days to protest amendments to an extradition bill.

The amendments would allow for criminal suspects to be transferred to mainland China for trial, and some in the semi-autonomous territory fear increased control by the mainland over human rights and free speech.

Martin McKenna is originally from P.E.I. and says he hasn't been part of the protest, but has been teaching in Hong Kong for the past 13 years. Due to the protests, he said he's had to cancel some of the outings he had planned for his students. 

"My students have been disappointed, you know, they're only 10 and 11 years old. For them it's a little hard to process."

McKenna said he hopes his students aren't looking at any of the images of the protest shared on social media.

"It has been very unsettling for a lot of people."

Protesters clash with police

Police in Hong Kong used batons, water hoses, tear gas and rubber bullets against protesters on Wednesday. Some protesters responded by hurling rocks, but most held only umbrellas.

McKenna said he considers most protesters to be part of a peaceful movement, and that there have been many peaceful protests in the past — as recent as June 4.

"It was the 30th anniversary of Tiananmen [Tiananmen Square protests]. You never know how it is going to go year to year, but this year was a bumper year. It was very much on people's minds."

He said there was a massive turnout this year.

Contrast between mainland and Hong Kong

McKenna said there is a stark difference between Hong Kong and mainland China.

"People value their free speech and they use it daily and there is not a lot of fear of speaking out and speaking your mind and having a political position."

That changes once you cross the border into the mainland, he said.

"Anyone from Hong Kong realizes that when you cross the border into the mainland that those sort of norms stop applying."

In 1984, British and Chinese leaders signed a formal pact approving the 1997 handover of the colony in exchange for the formulation of a "one country, two systems" agreement, meaning Hong Kong would maintain Britain's capitalist system for 50 years.

China using leverage

China has been using its leverage in the last few years to get the average Honk Kong citizen used to the "new normal," McKenna said.

"There is a lot of people who are responsible for organizing the Occupy protest that happened several years ago who have been handed lengthy jail terms. There are reporters who have had their visas revoked."

He said there's also a chill over people who feel the need to speak out, and that he thinks people feel politically cornered.

Thursday rain stopped most of the protesting for the time being and other than government offices being closed, "it's in a weird way back to normal," he said.

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