THOUSANDS IN HK PROTEST CHINA PATRIOTISM CLASSES

[xchrom]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_HONG_KONG_PATRIOTISM_PROTEST?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-07-29-07-44-44

HONG KONG (AP) -- Tens of thousands including teachers and parents pushing strollers took to Hong Kong streets Sunday to protest the upcoming introduction of Chinese patriotism classes they fear will lead to brainwashing, the latest sign of growing discomfort over Beijing's influence in the semiautonomous territory.

Students and pro-democracy activists were among those who marched to the Hong Kong government's headquarters to protest the new curriculum, which authorities are encouraging schools to begin using when classes resume in September.

They fear the classes will be used to brainwash children into supporting China's Communist Party. The government has denied that and says they are aimed at building Chinese national pride.

The controversy flared up after reports emerged that pro-Beijing groups published a booklet for use in classes that extolled the virtues of one-party rule.

[DCBob]

1. The assimilation begins.

I knew China would eventually attempt to suck HK into the fold. Not sure its going to work though. It will take more than "patriotism classes" to convert HK.