Hong Kong opposition movement largely without leaders

The largely youth-driven movement of black-clad protesters challenging Hong Kong's government over an unpopular extradition bill is a coalition operating without a clear leadership structure.

And that adds to its appeal for supporters disaffected from the moneyed elites who run the former British colony, organizers say.

The nearly 2 million Hong Kong residents who marched all day Sunday in a massive show of opposition to the bill, which would allow extraditions to mainland China, largely acted on their own, said Bonnie Leung, a leader of the Civil Human Rights Front, one of dozens of groups coordinating the protests.

In this Sunday, June 16, 2019, photo, protesters wearing black t-shirts gather on a main road near the Legislative Council as they continuing protest against the unpopular extradition bill in Hong Kong. The largely youth-driven movement challenging Hong Kong's government over an unpopular extradition law is a coalition operating without a clear leadership structure. And that adds to its appeal for supporters disaffected from the moneyed elites who run the former British colony, organizers say. (AP PhotoKin Cheung)

"It is civil society, from different walks of life, a lot of nameless people, a lot of different students' unions, that are voluntarily and organically doing a lot of actions," said Leung, whose group took responsibility for getting an official permit for Sunday's march.

The collection of student groups, political and non-governmental organizations, labor unions and teachers' associations that helped run the demonstration, and a string of earlier ones, ensured the march was orderly, even though thousands loitered afterward in a continued protest that was still underway 24 hours later.

"In this whole campaign, what we are trying to do is coordinate with different people," Leung said in an interview. "They are talking about, 'Oh, will that work, what won't work?' There are no real leaders and this I believe is a very healthy development and this is very good for our campaign."

Protesters march on the streets against an extradition bill in Hong Kong on Sunday, June 16, 2019. Hong Kong residents were gathering Sunday for another massive protest over an unpopular extradition bill that has highlighted the territory's apprehension about relations with mainland China, a week after the crisis brought as many as 1 million into the streets. (AP PhotoVincent Yu)

For the many teens and 20-somethings who took to the streets, the protests are about far more than an extradition bill. They are about preserving the autonomy Hong Kong was promised when Britain ceded its colony to mainland China in 1997, a "one-country, two-systems" arrangement that was supposed to assure Hong Kong separate legal and economic status for 50 years after the handover.

The marchers have drawn inspiration from earlier protests, especially the "Umbrella Movement" of 2014, when tens of thousands of mostly youthful demonstrators staged marches and sit-ins, snarling downtown traffic for weeks to demand a say in the election of Hong Kong's leader — a demand that ultimately failed.

That Beijing-appointed leader, Chief Executive Carrie Lam, has insisted on forcing passage of the unpopular extradition bill — and is now the main target of the demonstrations. She backed down Saturday, indefinitely suspending the bill's passage, but that did not appease the protesters.

Protesters wearing protection gears march toward the Legislative Council as they continue to protest against the extradition bill in Hong Kong, Monday, June 17, 2019. Hong Kong police and protesters faced off Monday as authorities began trying to clear the streets of a few hundred who remained near the city government headquarters after massive demonstrations that stretched deep into the night before.(AP PhotoVincent Yu)

The fluid, ad hoc nature of the movement was evident Monday, as hundreds of youths lingered near Lam's office building. A small but determined group vowed to continue demanding that Lam completely scrap the extradition bill, which if passed, could send some suspects in Hong Kong to China to face vague political charges, torture and unfair trials. That concern has grown with the increasingly authoritarian approach of today's top Communist Party leader, President Xi Jinping.

Others believed they needed to retreat and draw up a timetable for their demands, said Nathan Law, a leader of Demosisto, a pro-democracy group advocating self-determination for Hong Kong.

"There is no long-term agenda, no leader. We all feel the same and want the same things, but we don't have to follow any one person," said one black-clad participant in his early 20s, who gave his name only as Jojo.

Pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong speaks to protesters near the Legislative Council in Hong Kong, Monday, June 17, 2019. Wong, a leading figure in Hong Kong's 2014 Umbrella Movement demonstrations, was released from prison on Monday and vowed to soon join the latest round of protests. (AP PhotoKin Cheung)

One figure who has emerged as a potential opposition leader is Joshua Wong, a founder of Demosisto who, at just 17, became the face of the 2014 protests. He was released Monday after spending a month in prison related to those activities.

He swapped the white shirt he was wearing upon his release for a black one — this movement's chosen color.

In an interview outside government headquarters, Wong was scathing in his criticism of Lam and her administration, especially police officers who used tear gas and rubber bullets to subdue protesters during clashes last week.

Protesters who camped out overnight take a rest along a main road near the Legislative Council after continuing protest against the unpopular extradition bill in Hong Kong, Monday, June 17, 2019. Hong Kong police and protesters faced off Monday as authorities began trying to clear the streets of a few hundred who remained near the city government headquarters after massive demonstrations that stretched deep into the night before. (AP PhotoVincent Yu)

The moves were like the ruling Communist Party's bloody crackdown on student-led pro-democracy protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square 30 years ago, Wong said. "Carrie Lam just copied the model from Beijing and applied it in Hong Kong," he said.

That movement, too, was an unusually vehement expression of the power of numbers. It also involved many different groups both inside Beijing and elsewhere in China. The Chinese authorities ended the 1989 protests with a military assault that left hundreds, possibly thousands dead, a degree of violence still unthinkable in Beijing.

But in Hong Kong, the authorities have sought to soothe anger over police use of forceful measures and to reassure the city of 7 million that their civil liberties are intact.

Protesters sing after a march against an extradition bill outside Legislative Council in Hong Kong on Sunday, June 16, 2019. Hong Kong residents Sunday continued their massive protest over an unpopular extradition bill that has highlighted the territory's apprehension about relations with mainland China, a week after the crisis brought as many as 1 million into the streets. (AP PhotoVincent Yu)

As far as his contribution to the anti-extradition law movement, Wong said he had no further ambitions other than supporting those staying the course. But he does hope it may sway the leadership in Beijing.

"I just want to back and support those who have been standing up against Xi Jinping," Wong said.

"They tried to ignore the voice of the people" he said of the Hong Kong authorities. "But when the voice becomes louder and louder Beijing can't ignore it."

Protesters rest on the streets as they continue a protest overnight near the Legislative Council into the early hours of Monday, June 17, 2019 in Hong Kong. Hong Kong citizens marched for hours Sunday in a massive protest that drew a late-in-the-day apology from the city's top leader for her handling of legislation that has stoked fears of expanding control from Beijing in this former British colony. (AP PhotoVincent Yu)

A blur of thousands of protesters march on the streets against an extradition bill in Hong Kong on Sunday, June 16, 2019. Hong Kong residents Sunday continued their massive protest over an unpopular extradition bill that has highlighted the territory's apprehension about relations with mainland China, a week after the crisis brought as many as 1 million into the streets. (AP PhotoVincent Yu)

DETROIT (AP) — The Oakland Athletics no longer have to wonder where they'll play the next few seasons. That won't make the long goodbye any easier.

The A's reacted to the announcement that this will be their last year in Oakland with a mixture of sadness and relief.

“At least as a player, you know where you’re headed,” outfielder Seth Brown said Friday before a game against the Tigers in Detroit. “There’s obviously a lot of moving parts, a lot of stuff we’re not privy to, so it’s just been kind of a waiting game on our end. Where are we going to go? Where are we going to be? So I think just having that knowledge -- at least we know where we’re going to be playing next year.”

Vivek Ranadivé, who owns the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, and Oakland Athletics owner John Fisher announced Thursday that the A’s will temporarily relocate to West Sacramento's Sutter Health Park for at least three seasons. The A's are moving to Las Vegas after a new ballpark is constructed.

The River Cats, who are affiliated with the San Francisco Giants, will continue to play at the same facility.

Fisher was unable to reach an agreement with Oakland city officials on extending the lease at Oakland Coliseum, which expires at the end of this season. The A's have played in the city since 1968.

“There's direction now, which we've talked a lot about,” Oakland A's manager Mark Kotsay said. “We've got time to kind of reflect on what this really means from an organizational standpoint, the history that we've had in Oakland, with this being now the final season. There's a lot of emotion that goes behind this.”

It will not only cause some upheaval for the players and staff but also members of the organization that work behind the scenes.

“At the end of the day, we know where we're going to be for the next three seasons after the finish this year and that in itself gives a little bit of stability,” Kotsay said. “At the same time, in the present, it's challenging in certain ways to think about the finality of this organization in Oakland.”

Sacramento will be a much smaller environment to house a major league team. Ranadivé said the River Cats venue currently seats 16,000 when counting the stands, the lawn behind center field and standing room only.

First baseman Ryan Noda is concerned with the facilities. He's hopeful that significant upgrades will be made, much like the Toronto Blue Jays did at Buffalo's Triple-A facility. The Blue Jays played at Buffalo's Sahlen Field in 2020 in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“New walls, new dugouts, new locker rooms — everything they needed to become a big league stadium,” said Noda, who played some games in Sacramento as a minor leaguer. “As long as we can do something like that, then it'll be all right. But it's definitely going to be different than playing in stadiums that hold 40,000 people.”

Kotsay is confident the upgrades will occur.

“I know it will be of major league baseball quality,” he said. “It's has to be of major league baseball quality. I know the Players Association will make sure that takes place, as they did in Buffalo.”

For the rest of this season, the A's will have to deal with small home crowds and disappointed fans.

“We’re sad for the fans, the diehard fans, who always come to our games, always support us, always support the boys wearing the jersey,” Noda said.

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Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive, center, shakes hands John Fisher, owner of the Oakland Athletics, before the start of a news conference where Fisher announced his team will leave Oakland after this season and play temporarily at a minor league park, during a news conference in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4 2024.The A's announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

John Fisher, owner of the Oakland Athletics baseball team, announces that his team will leave Oakland after this season and play temporarily at a minor league park, during a news conference in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2024. The A's announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

Sutter Health Park, home of the Triple A team Sacramento River Cats, is shown in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Oakland Athletics announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

Oakland Athletics manager Mark Kotsay walks to the dugout after making a pitching change during the eighth inning of the team's baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, March 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)