Hundreds of thousands of people in white shirts poured onto the streets of Hong Kong today to vent their frustration at Chinese rule and challenge Beijing's refusal to allow them to elect their own leaders.
Waving green and black banners and carrying umbrellas to shield them from the blazing sun, protesters chanted "Return power to the people, fight for democracy" as they streamed through the urban canyons of the shopping district to government offices in the heart of the city.
The main organiser, the Civil Human Rights Front, said two hours into the march some 350,000 people had taken part - 50,000 above the expected turnout. The government provided no numbers.
A large turnout signalling dissatisfaction could embarrass Chinese leaders and heighten Communist Party fears about losing political control of Hong Kong.
Beijing also worries that demands for more democracy could spill over to the mainland and undermine their one-party rule. Pro-democracy politicians will try to wrest control of Hong Kong's top lawmaking body from pro-China supporters in legislative elections in September.
The demonstration, timed to coincide with the seventh anniversary of the former British colony's return to China, gave Beijing a taste of what they fear most, a mass show of public dissent. But leading pro-democracy activists were quick to stress that what Hong Kong people wanted was more freedom under Chinese rule, not independence.
"We are here today to fight for democracy," said veteran campaigner Martin Lee. "Not a single person here wants independence."
The white T-shirts symbolised hopes that China would one day offer the city greater democracy and freedoms. Other messages were more blunt. "Hong Kong people's demands are being raped," one placard read.
Last year, half a million people took to the streets wearing black to symbolise despair over a string of missteps by Tung's government, including a controversial draft anti-subversion law Beijing demanded be passed by the legislature.
Fearful of growing demands for full democracy, China tightened its grip on the city in April by ruling out universal suffrage in 2007, when the city's next chief executive is due to be selected.