Over 3,000 People Join Annual January 1 Demonstration in Hong Kong (PHOTOS)

BEIJING (Sputnik) – More than 3,000 people took to the streets of Hong Kong on Tuesday to take part in a traditional annual January 1 demonstration to express their protests against the policy of the regional administration, the South China Morning Post reported.

According to the South China Morning Post newspaper, organizers of the march expected 5,500-5,800 people to take part in the rally but it was attended by 3,200 people.

Both pro-independence activists and supporters of the "one country, two systems" principle took part in the demonstration. Some participants of the march also used the event to support the independence of Tibet.

Hong Kong democracy camp kicks off 2019 with protests https://t.co/ldpjR8PSMb pic.twitter.com/lFLEhBgHIB

— Ed Clark David Diestro (@DeKlarc) 1 января 2019 г.

​There were reportedly no serious incidents during the rally.

Aktivis Pro-Demokrasi Hong Kong Berdemo pada Tahun Baru https://t.co/d05xynEy4z pic.twitter.com/zWsdjtD9jg

— Yugi Nie (@yugi_nie) 1 января 2019 г.

READ MORE: China Protests US Statement About 1989 Tiananmen Square Rally — Foreign Ministry

​Southern China's region Hong Kong, which used to be a British colony since 1842, was returned to China in 1997 on the condition that the Chinese government would adhere to the "one country, two systems" concept, which means the region would remain capitalist and would not comply with the Chinese socialist system until 2047.