Catalonia and Hong Kong today held simultaneous protests. Whilst Catalans gathered outside the Chinese consulate in Barcelona to express their solidarity with Hong Kong, more than a thousand young people gathered in Chater Garden in Hong Kong in support of Catalonia's right to self-determination, in a protest organised by the pro-democracy movement. Under the motto "united against tyranny", they also showed their support for the demonstrations in Catalonia in protest at the Supreme Court's sentences against independence movement leaders.
The Hong Kong demonstrators carried signs with various messages in support of Catalonia: "We Hongkongers support Catalans", "Independence is the most effective way for people to separate from state repression & reign of terror", and "Catalans, Hongkongers fight for freedom together" were some of the slogans seen.
Organiser Ernesto Chow told Spanish news agency EFE that his aim was to "condemn the police brutality against protesters in Catalonia, especially against those who have protested peacefully." Also present were a small number of Catalans, many of whom work in the city.
Many of the protesters had also brought estelades, the "starred" pro-independence Catalan flag. Similarly, at one point the Catalan national anthem, Els Segadors, was played over the speaker system.