It was in December 2005, I had the chance to participate this great conference in HK.
The Sixth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization, also known as the WTO Hong Kong Ministerial Conference and abbreviated as MC6, was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong from 13th to 18 December 2005.
Representatives from 148 countries were expected to attend the event, as well as over 10,000 protesters led by the Hong Kong People’s Alliance on WTO and made up of largely South Korean farmers.
Wan Chai Sports Ground and Wan Chai Cargo Handling Basin in Wan Chai North have been designated as protest zones. Victoria Park served as the starting point for the rallies. Police wielded sticks, used gas grenades and shot rubber bullets at some of the protesters. They arrested 910 people, 14 were charged, but none were convicted.
I stayed in the Hotel next to the Convention and Exhibition Center during the conference period, it was really a great opportunity to participate this conference - and also an interesting experience to see all the happenings.
I just remember when we went out to Causeway bay for lunch, we could see the protesters (most of them were farmers) were protesting on the streets, they were just next to us!
As the meeting went on, we once in a while got the updated news, and I could also see from the window the rallies and the people jumped into the sea. I could see plenty of policemen working busily.
I can't remember which day, I went out for dinner to Admiralty by myself, then by the time I came back, the MTR didn't stop into that area, as the police blocked the road and said it was dangerous to enter into the Convention Center.
It was a little bit confusing, I had nothing with me as all my belongings were in the hotel and it was almost very dark in the late evening.
On the road, I could see some crowds and by the time I was thinking what I should do, I met an African Journalist who said that he also needed to go back to Wan Chai area, therefore we walked together in order to approach the Convention Center.
At last, I tried to talk with the policeman that I needed to get the way to go back to hotel, then the policeman told me to walk to another exit and informed the police there.
They eventually grouped the people and sent us in a van to the other side of the Convention Center, and we walked a little bit in order to get back the hotel.
By the time I got back to my room, it was almost midnight!!
I can never image that it was in Hong Kong, the busiest area like Wan Chai could be a dead city!!!
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