Clashes at Paris protest against racism and deadly police violence

AFP / Mohammad GHANNAMFollowing a protest against police violence, demonstrators set up a burning barricade in Paris

Clashes broke out between police and protesters in Paris on Tuesday after around 20,000 people defied a ban to rally over the 2016 death of a black man in police custody, galvanised by US demonstrations against racism and deadly police violence.

The protesters used slogans from the American protest movement to call for justice for Adama Traore, whose death four years ago has been a rallying cause against police brutality in France.

The demonstration, which came after the release of two differing medical reports into the cause of Traore's death, had been prohibited by police citing a coronavirus ban on gatherings of more than 10 people.

The protest started in the late afternoon outside the court in northern Paris, before projectiles were thrown and the police used tear gas to disperse the crowd, AFP journalists witnessed.

AFP / Michel RUBINELProtesters suffer from police tear gas at the rally

Sporadic clashes broke out near the city's main ring road, with stones thrown at the police, who responded by firing rubber bullets.

Some protesters burned bins, bicycles and scooters to set up flaming barricades on the streets.

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner responded by saying that "violence has no place in a democracy".

"Nothing justifies the behaviour that took place in Paris this evening, when protests on public streets are banned to protect everyone's health," he tweeted.

Many of the protesters drew inspiration from the protest movement raging across the United States over the police killing last week of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, holding up slogans in English such as "Black Lives Matter" and "I can't breathe".

Earlier in the day Traore's elder sister Assa spoke to the large crowd.

AFP / STEPHANE DE SAKUTINA protester holds a sign at the Paris rally with a slogan that originated in the US over police killings

"Today we are not just talking about the fight of the Traore family. It is the fight for everyone. When we fight for George Floyd, we fight for Adama Traore," she said.

"What is happening in the United States is an echo of what is happening in France."

Other protests were held across France, with 2,500 people attending a rally in the northern city of Lille, 1,800 in Marseille, and 1,200 in Lyon.

- Medical reports -

The Traore case has long been controversial in France.

Following a dispute over an identity check, Traore, 24, was apprehended in a house where he hid after leading police on a 15-minute chase in 2016.

AFP / Michel RUBINELProtesters jump over the gates of the Martin Luther King park in northwestern Paris to escape tear gas

One of the three arresting officers has told investigators that they pinned Traore down with their combined bodyweight.

Traore lost consciousness in their vehicle and died at a nearby police station. He was still handcuffed when paramedics arrived.

On Friday, French medical experts exonerated the three police officers, saying that Traore did not die of "positional suffocation", ruling out the officers pinning him to the ground as the cause of his death.

Instead, the experts found Traore died of heart failure possibly brought on by underlying health conditions in a context of "intense stress" and physical exertion, as well as the presence of tetrahydrocannabinol -- the active ingredient of cannabis -- in his body.

The findings, the third official report to clear the officers, dismissed a previous medical report commissioned by the young man's family that said he had died of asphyxiation.

AFP / Guillaume DAUDINThe huge turnout outside the Paris court at a banned protest for Adama Traore, who died in police custody in 2016

But on Tuesday a new probe commissioned by the Traore family said that his death was caused by the arrest technique used by the officers.

The contradictory medical reports also echoes the case of George Floyd, whose preliminary autopsy said he died from pre-existing heart problems, while an autopsy arranged by his family found he died of asphyxiation from sustained pressure.

Floyd's official autopsy then confirmed he died in a homicide involving "neck compression".

- 'Not violent, nor racist' -

Paris police chief Didier Lallement, who banned the protest, earlier on Tuesday wrote a letter to police officers defending their conduct.

He said he sympathised with the "pain" officers must feel "faced with accusations of violence and racism, repeated endlessly by social networks and certain activist groups".

The Paris police force "is not violent, nor racist: it acts within the framework of the right to liberty for all", he insisted in an email to the city's 27,500 law enforcers.

AFP / STEPHANE DE SAKUTINA new probe commissioned by the Traore family said Tuesday that his death was caused by the arrest technique

Several French officers have also been investigated for brutality against members of the public at long-running "yellow vest" anti-government rallies, and more recent anti-pension reform strikes.

Scores of protesters were maimed by rubber bullets or stun grenades, some losing an eye or a hand.

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Hamilton slams 'white-dominated' F1  for silence over Floyd death

AFP / JOHN THYSLewis Hamilton said the problem of racism was not confined to America


World champion Lewis Hamilton criticised the "biggest of stars" in "white-dominated" Formula One for failing to speak out against racism as protests erupted around the United States.


The Mercedes driver warned "I know who you are and I see you" as he accused his fellow drivers of "staying silent" following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, during his arrest in Minneapolis.


The videotaped incident has triggered unrest in several cities and led to an outpouring of condemnation from top athletes including Michael Jordan and Serena Williams.


"I see those of you who are staying silent, some of you the biggest of stars yet you stay silent in the midst of injustice," Hamilton wrote on Instagram.


"Not a sign from anybody in my industry which of course is a white-dominated sport. I'm one of the only people of colour there yet I stand alone.


"I would have thought by now you would see why this happens and say something about it but you can't stand alongside us. Just know I know who you are and I see you."


Hamilton, the six-time world champion, said he supported only peaceful protesters, not those who have looted stores and set fire to buildings.


But he added: "There can be no peace until our so-called leaders make change. This is not just America, this is the UK, this is Spain, this is Italy and all over.


"The way minorities are treated has to change, how you educate those in your country of equality, racism, classism and that we are all the same!


"We are not born with racism and hate in our hearts, it is taught by those we look up to."


Basketball legend Jordan joined a chorus of voices from the NBA, NFL and other US sports demanding change for black Americans, but the calls weren't limited to the United States.


French footballer Marcus Thuram and England international Jadon Sancho both called for justice for Floyd after scoring in Germany's Bundesliga.
Infantino says player calls for Floyd justice should be 'applauded'



POOL/AFP/File / Lars BaronBorussia Dortmund's Jadon Sancho shows a 'Justice for George Floyd' t-shirt after scoring against Paderborn

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on Tuesday that footballers in Germany calling for justice for George Floyd during matches deserve applause rather than sanctions.

The German Football Association (DFB) is investigating Borussia Dortmund's Jadon Sancho and Achraf Hakimi, Schalke's American midfielder Weston McKennie and Borussia Moenchengladbach's French forward Marcus Thuram for their tributes to Floyd at the weekend.

Floyd died last week after a white policeman in Minneapolis kneeled on the handcuffed man's neck for several minutes. The incident has sparked days of violent protests across the United States.

"For the avoidance of doubt, in a FIFA competition the recent demonstrations of players in Bundesliga matches would deserve an applause and not a punishment," Infantino said in a FIFA statement.

"We all must say no to racism and any form of discrimination. We all must say no to violence. Any form of violence."

Earlier FIFA called on football leagues to use "common sense" when deciding whether to discipline footballers for displaying political messages.

"FIFA fully understands the depth of sentiment and concerns expressed by many footballers in light of the tragic circumstances of the George Floyd case," world football's governing body said in a statement.

After scoring in Dortmund's win at Paderborn on Sunday England winger Sancho lifted his shirt to reveal the message "Justice for George Floyd".

His team-mate Hakimi and McKennie expressed similar calls for justice, while Frenchman Thuram, the son of World Cup winner Lilian Thuram, took a knee after scoring for Gladbach in memory of Floyd.

- Racism 'unbearable' -

The International Football Association Board (IFAB), the sport's lawmakers, bans players from showing "any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images".

However, pointing to its own anti-racism campaigns, FIFA intimated that no action should necessarily be taken against Sancho, Hakimi or McKennie.

"The application of the laws of the game approved by the IFAB is left for the competitions organisers which should use common sense and have in consideration the context surrounding the events," FIFA said.

The DFB is investigating the players in line with IFAB's laws, although president Fritz Keller said he understood their actions.

"If people are discriminated against because of the colour of their skin, it is unbearable," said Keller.

"If they die as a result of the colour of their skin, then I am deeply disturbed. The victims of racism need all of our solidarity."

Sancho was booked after revealing the message to mark scoring against Paderborn, although the DFB has said the yellow card was actually because he lifted his shirt over his head.

"This is defined under rule number 12 as behaviour that is clearly against the rules and should be seen as independent of any political message," said Lutz Michael Froehlich, head of the elite referees unit of the DFB.

"For referees it is not possible to make a judgement during a match about political, religious or personal slogans, messages or pictures," Froehlich added.



'Plain angry' Jordan joins sports world call for change after Floyd death

POOL/AFP / Martin Meissner

Moenchengladbach's French forward Marcus Thuram took a knee after scoring

NBA icon Michael Jordan decried "ingrained racism" in America Sunday as the sports world's reaction to the death of unarmed black man George Floyd leapt leagues and continents.

"I am deeply saddened, truly pained and plain angry," Jordan said in a statement Sunday, as protests over Floyd's death on May 25 spawned violence and looting. "I stand with those who are calling out the ingrained racism and violence toward people of color in our country.

"We have had enough," said Jordan, who was famously reluctant to comment on social issues during his playing career.

Floyd died on May 25 after a white policeman in Minneapolis had held his knee on the handcuffed man's neck for several minutes.

"We need to continue peaceful expressions against injustice and demand accountability," Jordan said.

Jordan joined a chorus of voices from the NBA, NFL and other US sports demanding change for black Americans, but the demands weren't limited to the United States.

French footballer Marcus Thuram and England international Jadon Sancho called for justice for Floyd after scoring in Germany's Bundesliga.

Thuram took a knee after scoring for Borussia Moenchengladbach in a match against Union Berlin, while Sancho marked one of his three goals for Borussia Dortmund against Paderborn by lifting his jersey to reveal a T-shirt bearing the words "Justice for George Floyd."

Thuram's gesture echoed the protest of US racism spearheaded by former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, whose decision to kneel during the national anthem at games in 2016 sparked outrage.

The gesture has now been heartbreakingly compared to the death of Floyd, who pleaded that he couldn't breathe as Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin kept his knee on his neck.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver sent an internal memo to NBA employees on Sunday that said the league shares "the outrage" that has followed the death of Floyd -- which comes in the wake of the police killing in Kentucky of emergency health worker Breonna Taylor in her home, and the fatal shooting of unarmed black jogger Ahmaud Arbery.

Commissioner Adam Silver sent an internal memo to NBA office employees Sunday, offering thoughts of frustration and sadness after watching the protests around the country over the weekend.

"We are being reminded that there are wounds in our country that have never healed," Silver said in the memo, which was obtained and published by Yahoo.

"Racism, police brutality and racial injustice remain part of everyday life in America and cannot be ignored."

With US pro sports on hold amid the coronavirus pandemic, American athletes had no chance to demonstrate on the field of play.

Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown and Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris were among a number of NBA players who took part in demonstrations over the weekend.

Brown drove 15 hours to lead a peaceful protest march in Atlanta, Georgia.

"First and foremost, I'm a black man and I'm a member of this community," the Georgia native said.

- 'Too many tragedies' -
Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers, himself the son of a policeman, said that as violence escalated it was imperative to keep Floyd's death at the forefront.

"The response we are seeing across the nation, to the murder of George Floyd, is decades in the making," Rivers said in a statement. "Too often, people rush to judge the response, instead of the actions that prompted it.

"We have allowed too many tragedies to pass in vain. This isn't an African-American issue. This is a human issue," Rivers said.

US tennis great Serena Williams posted a moving video on Instagram that featured a young African-American girl overcome by emotion as she addressed a public meeting, finally able to force out the words: "We are black people, and we shouldn't have to feel like this."

Teenage tennis phenom Coco Gauff, who is black, had a simple question on her Instagram post: "Am I next?"

And two-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka, whose mother is Japanese and father Haitian, reminded her social media followers: "Just because it isn't happening to you doesn't mean it isn't happening at all."

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the violent protests "reflect the pain, anger and frustration that so many of us feel.

With Kaepernick still unable to find a job in the NFL, not everyone was convinced by Goodell or by San Francisco 49ers chief executive Jed York, who pledged $1 million to combat systemic racial discrimination.

Former 49er Eric Reid, who knelt alongside Kaepernick tweeted: "Nobody wants your money Jed. We want justice."


Nike says "Don't Do It" on racism
GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File / Drew Angerer"For once, Don't Do It," Nike says on racism

Nike has taken a stand against racism with a "Don't do it" campaign, a twist on its famous catch phrase, as protests against police brutality spread across the United States.

"For once, Don't Do It... Don't pretend there's not a problem in America," the US sports apparel giant said in a video posted to Twitter late Friday.

The message came as protesters across the United States took to the streets against the treatment of George Floyd, an African American who died in the hands of police in Minneapolis earlier this week.

In a rare sign of solidarity, competitor Adidas retweeted the video, with a message stating: "Together is how we move forward. Together is how we make change."

Floyd's death on Monday was captured in a horrifying cellphone video now seen around the world, in which a white police officer pressed his knee on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes until well after he went motionless, while three other officers stood by.

"Don't turn your back on racism. Don't accept innocent lives being taken from us. Don't make any more excuses. Don't think this doesn't affect you," Nike said in the video, in which white words appear across a black background.

The campaign hardly marks the first time Nike, whose "Just Do It" slogan is known worldwide, has waded into US social justice issues.

In September 2018, Nike made waves when it released an advertising campaign featuring US football player and activist Colin Kaepernick, criticized for kneeling during the US national anthem at games in protest at racism.

America's unrest: why I am protesting

AFP / TIMOTHY A. CLARYProtesters demonstrate on June 2, 2020, during a "Black Lives Matter" protest in New York City

A week of protests over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis has rocked the United States.

Tens of thousands of people, from all ethnic and demographic groups, have taken to streets in cities across the United States to demand an end to police brutality.

Below, some of them explain in their own words why they are demonstrating, their experiences of the protests so far, and what they hope America's biggest civil unrest in years will achieve.

- A student on the front lines -

Kayla Junaye Johnson is a 21-year-old criminal justice student at Grambling State University in Louisiana.

She felt "sick to my stomach" after watching the video that captured police officer Derek Chauvin with his knee on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes and joined protests in Minneapolis.

AFP / CHANDAN KHANNAKayla Junaye Johnson (21) poses as she shows her arm which was wounded by tear gas canister during a protest on June 2, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota

"We saw live murder, there's no way around it. It's awful, and every officer should be charged to the highest degree," she said.

"The first protest I made it to the front line on my knees, shouting 'Hands up don't shoot.' I jumped and dodged from at least a few flashbangs from my head. It was very scary at times.

"The one time I didn't see a flashbang coming, it struck me in the arm. I ended up getting a second degree burn from the Minneapolis police department.

"Personally around police officers, I do not feel comfortable. I hate to say it but they have so much power in the world right now that it's scary anything can happen.

"I'd never expected things to go like the way they did this week but I'm not surprised. Being black in America, this is what it does. This is how it affects us. It's sad but this is it."

- The mother educating her kids -

Michelle Evans, a forty-something who works in marketing, took her two boys aged four and seven to the scene of Floyd's death, hugging them amid a sea of flowers.

AFP / Kerem YucelMichelle Evans and her kids pose for AFP at the location of George Floyd's death, where they came to pay homage on June 2, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Fearing that the protests, which turned violent, were "too dangerous," she expressed her solidarity and anger at the site which has become a memorial to Floyd's life.

"My boys, just by who they are, need to know that they have privilege, and that they need to be a part of the solution as they, as they get older," she told AFP.

Crying, she denounced the "structural" racism of America.

"It's how our country was founded, and it needs to be destroyed and built back up in a way that brings, equity, and inclusion for everyone."

- A musician who won't be silenced -

Tyqaun White, a 20-year-old musical theory major at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, has been protesting in New York.

"It's gotten to a point where black people are just asking not to be killed. It's just got to stop," he said.

"We are angry. People are here dying and in poverty every day. And you want to kill us and just tell us to be quiet? No! We have to go out.

AFP / Johannes EISELETyqaun White, 20, a black musical theory major at Point Park University, poses for a portrait on June 2, 2020, during a "Black Lives Matter" protest at Washington Square Park in New York City

"We are treated like animals, this is how black people have been treated for years and years.

"I understand why people would break the curfew and protest however they want to protest.

"We need to protest forever until this system is completely reversed and changed and built upon equality and freedom. I'm gonna keep fighting as long as I have to."

- Privileged suburbanites -

Jeff Austin, a 62-year-old cultural anthropologist and his 17-year-old high school daughter Lily Henry-Austin protested in the wealthy Washington DC suburb of Bethesda.

Large demonstrations are rare in the predominately white area, one of the richest in the country and home to power-brokers such as cabinet secretaries, White House staff, lawyers and lobbyists.

"It feels like enough is enough and we really need to work on changing our policing, we need to change our society's attitude towards race," said Jeff.

AFP / Paul HANDLEYJeff Austin and his daughter Lily Henry-Austin of Silver Spring, hold a sign reading "I Can't Breathe" as they protest police brutality against African Americans in Bethesda, Maryland on June 2, 2020

"We've had centuries to get it right. We haven't come close yet, but we'll keep trying."

"The more people that are involved in trying to counter the current racist attitudes of the nation, the better. There's a role for everyone to play," he added.

"As a white woman I have a huge amount of privilege," said Lily.

"It hurts me so much to see people who are human not treated as humans. I just couldn't sit at home and do nothing. I'm going to be out here until it changes. I'm not going away."

- The Latino ex-Marine -

Hipolito Arriaga, a 36-year-old of Puerto Rican origin born and raised in the Bronx, New York, served as a US Marine in Iraq and spoke to AFP on a march in Miami.

AFP / Ricardo ARDUENGOHipolito Arriaga, 36, marching during a rally in Miami, Florida in response to the recent death of George Floyd on June 2, 2020

"Having served in the military, I thought we were sent overseas to protect the freedom of the people here, meanwhile the police here are treating us like we're in a war zone.

"You are trained to see the people, in Iraq, in Afghanistan, as if they were animals, as if they were savages.

"The same way, now here in this country they call us thugs. The president now wants to label us as terrorists for accessing our right to speak, our fundamental human right.

"They forget that the country was founded in revolution."

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US protests defy curfews as Trump faces backlash for violent crackdown

AFP / Agustin PAULLIERA protester shakes hands with an LAPD officer during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd in Hollywood, California on June 2, 2020

Protesters defied curfews across the United States Tuesday as leaders scrambled to stem anger over police racism while President Donald Trump rejected criticism over his use of force to break up a peaceful rally.

Standoffs between police and demonstrators stretched into the night in cities from New York to Los Angeles over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed African-American man whose killing has brought once-in-a-generation protests to the nation for the past week.

But there were fewer reports of the looting and violence that had soured street demonstrations in previous nights.

AFP / Agustin PAULLIERA protester holds up a placard during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd in Hollywood, California on June 2, 2020

Tens of thousands gathered earlier in Houston to pay a hometown tribute to Floyd, who grew up in the Texas city and is to be buried there next week.

"Today is... about George Floyd's family -- we want them to know that George did not die in vain," Mayor Sylvester Turner told an estimated 60,000 people.

A tearful Roxie Washington, the mother of Floyd's six-year-old daughter, told a news conference she wanted "justice for him because he was good.

"No matter what anybody thinks, he was good."

AFP / Ricardo ARDUENGOProtestors embrace during a rally in response to the killing of George Floyd in Miami, Florida on June 2, 2020

In New York, which on Tuesday prolonged its first curfew since World War II for the full week, AFP reporters saw hundreds refusing to go home after the 8:00 pm cutoff, instead chanting slogans and peacefully walking the streets in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Protestors attempting to cross the Manhattan bridge were pinned there for an extended period by police on both sides, but were finally allowed to return to Brooklyn, according to a New York Times reporter on the scene.

Mayor Bill de Blasio told CNN it had been "much calmer" a day after several Manhattan luxury stores were looted, praising an increased and "vast presence" of police on the streets.

AFP / Olivier DOULIERYDemonstrators protesting the death of George Floyd hold up a Black Lives Matter sign by the metal fence recently erected in front of the White House on June 2, 2020 in Washington

Minnesota took one of the first concrete actions to address the grievances behind the uprising, which began after Floyd's death on May 25 in the state's largest city Minneapolis.

The state launched a civil rights investigation of the Minneapolis Police Department, looking at possible "systemic discriminatory practices" going back 10 years, Governor Tim Walz tweeted.

Former president George W. Bush called on the US to examine its "tragic failures" and to "listen to the voices of so many who are hurting and grieving."

AFP / Angela WeissProtesters demonstrate on June 2, 2020 during a "Black Lives Matter" march in New York City

And in Los Angeles, one of dozens of cities hit by unrest, police officers and Mayor Eric Garcetti dropped to their knees in a symbolic act of solidarity as they met marchers led by African-American Christian groups.

"A black face should not be a sentenced to die, nor to be homeless, nor to be sick, nor to be underemployed, nor to be under-educated," Garcetti told them, inviting the leaders into City Hall for a discussion about the issues.

But protesters gathered outside Garcetti's residence late into the evening. An AFP reporter witnessed a group of at least 200 refusing to disperse and subsequently arrested.

- 'People liked my walk' -

In Washington DC, thousands returned to the streets Tuesday for a peaceful "Black Lives Matter" march.

Hours after the 7:00 pm curfew protesters could be heard chanting, as National Guard troops stood on the streets near the White House and helicopters hovered above. Broadcast footage showed police firing tear gas shortly after midnight, but the situation appeared to be calm overall.

AFP / Ricardo ARDUENGOProtestors chant slogans during a rally against the killing of George Floyd, in Miami, Florida on June 2, 2020

"I'm just tired, essentially, of being scared of police, of not getting justice," said Jada Wallace, an 18-year-old protester outside the White House earlier who said she was ready to risk arrest.

In the same place on Monday, federal police had abruptly opened tear gas and fired rubber bullets to break up a non-violent protest, clearing a path for Trump to stroll outside for a photo-op at a historic church damaged the previous night.

The move was loudly condemned by religious leaders, the president's political rivals, and onlookers around the country.

AFP / Brendan SmialowskiPresident Donald Trump pushed back against criticism over the use of force to clear peaceful protestors so he could pose for a photo-op outside a historic church damaged the previous night

But Trump, who has rejected the traditional presidential role of healer, voiced glee on Twitter over the response in Washington and accused the leadership of New York -- led by the rival Democratic Party -- of succumbing to "Lowlife & Scum."

"Overwhelming force. Domination," he wrote, adding: "Washington, D.C., was the safest place on earth last night!"

He pushed back against the criticism later on Twitter, writing: "You got it wrong! If the protesters were so peaceful, why did they light the Church on fire the night before? People liked my walk."

- 'Despicable looters' -

Joe Biden, Trump's presumptive Democratic rival in November elections, denounced the crackdown as an abuse of power and promised, if elected, to tackle the "systemic racism" in the country.

AFP / Agustin PAULLIERA protester holds a placard in front of a row of Army National Guard during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd in Hollywood, California on June 2, 2020

"Donald Trump has turned this country into a battlefield driven by old resentments and fresh fears," Biden said in a speech in Philadelphia, also hit by violence.

The United States also faced unusual, if polite, criticism from some international allies including Germany, Britain and Australia.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas called the anti-racism protests "understandable and more than legitimate."

AFP / Eva Marie UZCATEGUIDemonstrators during a protest against police brutality and the killing of George Floyd in Sunrise, Florida on June 02, 2020

"I hope that these peaceful protests won't slide further into violence, but even more than that I hope that they will make a difference in the United States," Maas told reporters.

A Las Vegas officer was in "grave condition" Tuesday after being shot during protests overnight. An armed Hispanic man was shot and killed by police after raising his gun in a separate, nearby incident.

Four officers were also shot overnight in St. Louis. None of the injuries was life-threatening.

But one retired St Louis police captain was shot dead early Tuesday outside a ransacked store.

Trump tweeted that David Dorn, who was black, was "viciously shot and killed by despicable looters."

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UK talks to 'Five Eyes' allies about potential Hong Kong exodus

AFP / ISAAC LAWRENCESemi-autonomous Hong Kong has been rocked by months of huge pro-democracy protests

Britain's foreign minister said he has spoken to "Five Eyes" allies about potentially opening their doors to Hong Kongers if Beijing's plans to impose a national security law on the city sparks an exodus.

The revelation came as Prime Minister Boris Johnson said London would not "walk away" from Hong Kongers worried by Beijing's control over the international business hub, in his most direct comments yet on the former colony's future.

Semi-autonomous Hong Kong has been rocked by months of huge and often violent pro-democracy protests over the past year.

In response Beijing has announced plans to introduce a sweeping national security law covering secession, subversion of state power, terrorism and foreign interference.

China says the law -- which will bypass Hong Kong's legislature -- is needed to tackle "terrorism" and "separatism" in a restless city it now regards as a direct national security threat.

But opponents, including many western nations, fear it will bring mainland-style political oppression to a business hub that was supposedly guaranteed freedoms and autonomy for 50 years after its 1997 handover to China from Britain.

PRU/AFP / -ritain's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said he had reached out to Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Canada about contingency plans if the law sparks a deluge of Hong Kongers looking to leave

In parliament on Tuesday, Britain's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said he had reached out to Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Canada about contingency plans if the law creates a deluge of Hong Kongers looking to leave.

"I raised it on the Five Eyes call yesterday -- the possibility of burden sharing if we see a mass exodus from Hong Kong," Raab told lawmakers, referencing the intelligence-sharing alliance between the five powers.

Britain has said it will offer millions of Hong Kongers visas and a possible route to UK citizenship if China persists with its national security law, a commitment Johnson detailed in a column for The Times and the South China Morning Post newspapers on Wednesday.

- 'Path to citizenship' -

"Many people in Hong Kong fear their way of life -- which China pledged to uphold -- is under threat," Johnson wrote.

"If China proceeds to justify their fears, then Britain could not in good conscience shrug our shoulders and walk away; instead we will honour our obligations and provide an alternative."

AFP / John SAEKIBeijing has hit out at foreign criticism of its national security law

About 350,000 people in Hong Kong currently hold British National (Overseas) passports, which allow visa-free access to Britain for up to six months.

Another 2.5 million people would be eligible to apply for one.

Johnson said Britain could allow BN(O) holders to come for a renewable period of 12 months "and be given further immigration rights, including the right to work, which could place them on a route to citizenship".

Beijing has hit out at foreign criticism of its national security law, saying the issue is a purely internal affair, and has vowed to implement "counter measures".

It says Hong Kongers will continue to keep their political freedoms -- although anti-subversion laws are routinely used to quash political dissent on the mainland.

Britain says it views the proposed law as a breach of the 1984 agreement with Beijing ahead of the handover guaranteeing Hong Kong's freedoms and a level of autonomy -- a deal that formed the bedrock of its rise as a world class finance centre.

AFP / Anthony WALLACEPolitical tensions are rising in Hong Kong once more

"Britain does not seek to prevent China's rise," Johnson wrote. "It is precisely because we welcome China as a leading member of the world community that we expect it to abide by international agreements."

His comments came as political tensions are rising in Hong Kong once more.

On Wednesday lawmakers in the city's pro-Beijing weighted legislature restarted debate on a law that would criminalise insults to China's national anthem.

The bill is likely to be passed on Thursday -- a day when Hong Kongers will also mark the anniversary of Beijing's 1989 Tiananmen crackdown, despite city authorities banning the traditional annual vigil because of the coronavirus.