Hong Kong nears tipping point with Beijing

``While it is true that every July 1 since 1997 has been punctuated by a mass anti-Beijing rally, this year's demonstration stood out not just for the number of people who took part but also for their anger and fervor - among them not just the usual pro-democracy groups but also villagers from the northeastern New Territories whose homes would be destroyed by a government plan to build two new towns near the border with the mainland and whose cause has become caught up in the anti-government sentiment pervading the city. ''