Ignite Hong Kong - Awakening the Public March was a protest march held on August 24, 2019, in Kwun Tong District, Hong Kong, as part of the anti-extradition bill protests. The march started at and ended at in Kowloon Bay. Its objectives were to demand that the Hong Kong government address the five demands and raise concerns about installed in Kwun Tong and Kowloon Bay, which were perceived as a threat to personal privacy.
This was the first anti-extradition bill march held in Kwun Tong District since the introduction of the Extradition Bill. To obtain a "" from the police, the march route was significantly altered, changing the endpoint from Kwun Tong Swimming Pool to in Kowloon Bay.
During the march, protesters toppled smart lampposts and surrounded Ngau Tau Kok Police Station. The event escalated into clashes with police, which spread to Wong Tai Sin and Sham Shui Po. The organizer, Ventus Lau, and 16 other volunteers were arrested after the march.
Background
Demand for government response to five demands
In 2019, Hong Kong saw widespread protests against the proposed extradition bill. This march was one of the events opposing the bill, with participants demanding that the government address the five demands. These demands were:
Complete withdrawal of the Extradition Bill Retract the government's classification of the June 12 police-protester clash as a "riot" Drop all charges against anti-extradition protesters Establish an independent inquiry into alleged police misconduct Implement genuine universal suffrage
The organizers criticized the government for using "rhetorical tactics" to evade addressing the five demands. They aimed to make protests "blossom everywhere" to raise awareness about the extradition bill and push for government action.
Smart lampposts The Hong Kong government was implementing a trial program for "multifunctional ," planning to install around 400 across the city. Kwun Tong District was the first area to receive 50 such lampposts, equipped with features for traffic snapshots, weather data collection, and air quality monitoring.
However, the smart lampposts raised concerns about privacy and surveillance, with fears that they could use facial recognition technology to monitor citizens for law enforcement purposes.
The organizers aimed to raise awareness about the issues surrounding smart lampposts while "protecting Hong Kong's remaining democratic freedoms." They also criticized the government for installing the lampposts without prior consultation.
March route On August 15, the organizers announced that the march would begin at 1:00 PM from Playground and end at an open area outside Kwun Tong Swimming Pool.
On August 19, the march applicant Ventus Lau met with police, who raised concerns about the route, such as its potential to disrupt bus services. Lau accused the police of deliberately obstructing the organizers but agreed to cooperate to secure the .
On August 22, Ventus Lau announced that the police had issued the Letter of No Objection, with the march permitted until 7:00 PM and an expected attendance of 4,000. However, the endpoint was changed to . Lau described the change as "bowing to authority" for a legal and safe march, criticizing the police for making "political judgments." He noted that many netizens preferred a route along the busier Kwun Tong Road and described the approved route as "not ideal," acknowledging the difficulty in preventing participants from deviating.
March process
Before the march
Around 9:00 AM, according to HK01 reporters, the march route area was calm. At Ngau Tau Kok Police Station, 800 meters from the march route on , the parking lot gate and disabled entrance were boarded up, preventing outside observation. Outdoor areas were covered with blue tarps, and barricades were placed along Hoi Bun Road, with security patrols. By 10:00 AM, over 10 police vehicles left the station, and around 20 officers with warning flags and other equipment entered to prepare.
At 10:30 AM, MTR Corporation announced that services on the Kwun Tong Line from Choi Hung Station to Tiu Keng Leng Station would be suspended from noon, with Kowloon Bay Station to Lam Tin Station closed. By noon, many citizens were waiting at and the taxi stand at apm mall. Near the starting point, Market had few shops open, but one, "Tucheng Japanese Cuisine," set up a rest station with banners offering free water and food for marchers.
By 11:00 AM, Kwun Tong Station staff were maintaining order, and many shops in the station began closing their shutters. At noon, all ticket gates at Kwun Tong Station were closed, surprising some citizens who could not enter. By 12:30 PM, many lingered in the station, with some writing complaints and posting them on the customer service center's glass, others asking about shuttle bus arrangements, and some demanding explanations for the gate closures. A large group sat or stood at Exit A to prevent MTR from closing the gates. Uniformed police were present in the station's control center. HK01 reported citizens criticizing MTR, saying, "All you know is how to raise fares, what else can you do?" and "If you close all the gates, how will residents get home?" The station manager did not respond to questions, only reiterating the closure arrangements. At 1:48 PM, over a dozen uniformed officers with round shields arrived at Kwun Tong Station. Citizens retreated, and MTR staff closed the gates. Some shouted slogans like "corrupt police, return our eyes" and "triads." By 2:15 PM, citizens began leaving Exit A.
During the march
At 1:00 PM, citizens gathered at , filling the area. March applicant Ventus Lau spoke to the media, criticizing the government and MTR for "colluding to suppress citizens' right to assemble, effectively obstructing their activities." He called MTR's actions "unprecedented and unreasonable," suggesting they might encourage more participation. By 1:20 PM, due to the large crowd, some participants began marching on their own. The march officially started at 1:30 PM.
The march passed through Kwun Tong streets like Hoi Bun Road, , and Sheung Yee Road. Ventus Lau led the procession with a vertical banner. Some held signs reading "Facial recognition equals extradition," while others covered their right eye to protest a female first-aider's permanent blindness caused by a police projectile during the August 11 march. Along the route, some distributed dried fruit from carts to encourage marchers. Slogans like "Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times" were chanted.
By 2:49 PM, the march's front reached . Around 4:00 PM, many left the endpoint, with some heading via Telford Plaza to MTR headquarters. At 6:15 PM, the organizers announced the march's conclusion, urging participants to stay safe.
Wai Yip Street standoff
Around 2:30 pm, a group of Special Tactical Contingent (STS) members and riot police moved from Ngau Tau Kok Police Station to near . Police and protesters faced off at a distance of about 20 meters. Some officers were equipped with Fabrique Nationale 303 rifles, commonly known as "big mouth guns," capable of firing rubber bullets and tear gas. Protesters set up roadblocks on Wai Yip Street using bamboo scaffolding, , and metal railings, with some in the front line holding up umbrellas. Meanwhile, protesters spray-painted slogans such as "" and "End Police Brutality" on the outer wall of Ngau Tau Kok Police Station. About ten minutes later, riot police retreated to Shiu Yip Street, raising a blue flag and urging protesters to "disperse immediately or face appropriate force." The Special Tactical Contingent commander told then-People Power chairman Raymond Chan and vice-chairman Tam Tak-chi that riot police would remain on standby and instructed marchers to follow the designated route. Tam repeatedly requested the commander not to use tear gas. By around 3:00 pm, riot police withdrew to Ngau Tau Kok Police Station, and protesters cheered and clapped.
Destruction of smart lampposts
Around 2:00 pm, some marchers attempted to cover along the route with tape. At 3:06 pm, protesters dismantled the electrical box of a smart lamppost and used a handsaw to cut it down. They spray-painted "No Surveillance" on the lamppost, discarded its wires and components into a nearby drainage channel, and damaged at least five smart lampposts. Around 4:00 pm, protesters used a small electric saw to dismantle a smart lamppost on in Kowloon Bay. The lamppost's base components were exposed, and some were covered with plastic bags. Slogans such as "Resist Tyranny" and "Reject Authoritarian Surveillance" were attached to the lamppost, which was laid across the road as a barricade. Protesters examined the lamppost components and found a USB flash drive labeled "ble locater," which some speculated was a communication device between lampposts. The police later condemned the destruction of the smart lampposts and announced that Ngau Tau Kok Police Station's report room would temporarily suspend services.
Wai Yip Street clashes
During the protest, some demonstrators gathered outside the Ngau Tau Kok Police Station on . The police displayed a red warning flag at one point. At 4:40 p.m., police reported that protesters threw bricks toward their position, prompting the use of at least five rounds of pepper-spray projectiles, sponge grenades, and smoke canisters. At 4:39 p.m., the Special Tactical Contingent charged at protesters, subduing several individuals. During the confrontation, some protesters threw objects at the police, with some fleeing toward the Kowloon Bay station Telford Plaza platform, while others headed toward Kwun Tong. Petrol bombs were thrown from both sides of , prompting police to retreat temporarily and raise a black warning flag, followed by the deployment of multiple tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd.
Telford Plaza clashes
Around 5:20 p.m., members of the Special Tactical Contingent entered the Telford Plaza platform. Some accused the squad of "using Hong Kong people's money to shoot Hong Kong people." A squad member responded, "Don't I pay taxes? How much tax do you pay?" Unarmed citizens expressed concerns that the use of tear gas in Telford Plaza, a residential area, would frighten children. Protesters used manhole covers as barricades. Legislator Ted Hui arrived to mediate, urging police not to clear the mall and to withdraw. Police fired again, then retreated and left the platform. At 5:45 p.m., the Special Tactical Contingent fired hard sponge grenades, pepper-spray projectile, and tear gas on the platform outside MCL Cinema. Protesters threw petrol bombs and poured soapy water and oil on the ground. Some citizens and protesters took shelter inside MCL Cinema and the mall, where most shops had closed their shutters.
Ngau Tau Kok clashes At 5:00 p.m., the police issued a press release urging people to leave the area immediately and advising residents to stay in safe locations. A visually impaired person holding a white cane was temporarily stranded outside the Ngau Tau Kok Police Station and unable to leave. Artist Denise Ho arrived at the scene, offering assistance.
At 6:25 p.m., police raised an orange flag and fired multiple tear gas canisters and rubber bullets. Protesters advanced toward the police line, prompting further tear gas deployment. Some protesters scattered, while others picked up tear gas canisters and threw them back toward the police, who raised the orange flag again. Some protesters blocked the intersection of Lai Yip Street and Kwun Tong Road to allow others on to leave. At 6:40 p.m., police raised the black flag, warning protesters against using laser pointers on officers, threatening arrests. Meanwhile, many protesters fled toward Ngau Tau Kok station. By around 7:00 p.m., police cleared the area, supported by numerous police vehicles, and all protesters had left.
Spread to other districts
Wong Tai Sin clashes