French rock climber Alain Robert, nicknamed "Spider-Man", placed a flag on one of Hong Kong's skyscrapers in an appeal to China and the Hong Kong special administrative region to reconcile amid ongoing protests that started over two months ago after a local legislature opened a debate on a bill that would have allowed extradition to mainland China.
"Perhaps what I do can lower the temperature and maybe raise a smile. That's my hope anyway," Robert said in a statement.
The French Spiderman Alain Robert joins the protests by scaling Li Ka-shing's skyscarper and hanging a flag depicting the Hong Kong flag and a handshake #antiELAB pic.twitter.com/ZB2hn4ir5S
— Mark Agnew (@AdventureAgnew) August 16, 2019
The footage shows how a man in bright climbing equipment places a canvas emblazoned with the flags of China and Hong Kong; under them is a symbolic handshake, as a call for peace after several months of protests against Chinese politics in the special administrative region.
This is the flag he erected. AP identified him as French spiderman Alain Robert. @tictoc #香港 pic.twitter.com/xkxddCmtd4
— Marc Davies (@MarcDDavies) August 16, 2019
People in Hong Kong initially took to the streets in early June to protest against the adoption of a bill that would allow the extradition of suspects to jurisdictions without a prior extradition agreement with Hong Kong, including mainland China. Although the government may soon agree to suspend the bill, people are demanding that it must be withdrawn completely.
Amid criticism from the US and UK, the Chinese authorities have called on foreign powers to stop interference in its domestic affairs.
