Disappointing Turnout at Democracy March

Hong Kong pro-democracy groups failed to spur a huge turnout for a protest marking the anniversary of the former British colony’s return to Chinese rule.

Police said this year’s demonstration attracted only 11,000. Organizers said they counted 21,000 -- still a fraction of previous turnouts of about a half-million the last two years.

Protest organizer Gary Fan Kwok-wai said the economy was rebounding so the public was in a better mood. He said the city also had a popular new leader, Donald Tsang, a veteran civil servant who many think will do a better job.