In Hong Kong, public grief over Queen doubles as dissent

HONG KONG (AP) — Hundreds of Hong Kong residents are lining up in front of the British Consulate General for hours each day to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II, leaving piles of flowers and handwritten notes.

The collective outpouring of grief after her death last week is perhaps the most ardent among the former British colonies, where mourning has been generally subdued. It's seen by some experts as a form of dissent against increasingly intrusive controls by communist-ruled Beijing, which took over the territory in 1997.

Some Hong Kongers are nostalgic for what they view as a past “golden age” under Britain's not entirely democratic colonial rule, when the city of about 7 million people gained stature as a world financial center and tourism destination.

The queen's death has sparked a flurry of interest in British memorabilia, among other things.

The Queen is nicknamed “si tau por” in Hong Kong. Pronounced “see-tao-POHR" In the local Cantonese dialect, that translates to “boss lady.”

“We used to call her ‘si tau por’ when we were under her rule. It’s simply a way of showing respect to her. There was a feeling of kindness from her, she’s not the kind of boss who is up above you,” said CK Li, a resident who queued for over two hours to pay his respects.

Another resident, 80-year-old Eddie Wong, said she was there “out of true feelings” from her heart.

“People in Hong Kong love her,” said Wong. “Because when we were under her rule, we enjoyed democracy and freedom and we were very grateful. I want to bid farewell to ‘si tau por’ who is in heaven.”

With its July 1, 1997, takeover China promised to leave Hong Kong's Western-style civil liberties and institutions intact for at least 50 years. Many raised in the...