STREETS OF FURY

Hong Kong mass protests ignite fears over extradition laws

MORE than a million people have taken to the streets in Hong Kong to protest controversial plans to allow extraditions to the Chinese mainland.

As the region’s streets descended into violence early yesterday, China issued a heavy-handed response accusing “foreign forces” of trying to hurt it.

The march was the biggest protest in Hong Kong since the 1997 handover to China. Hong Kong’s government is pushing a new law that would allow extraditions to any jurisdiction with which it does not already have a treaty – including mainland China.

The proposals have sparked an outcry and started an opposition that unites a wide cross-section of the city.

Sunday saw big crowds march in blazing summer heat through the cramped streets of the financial hub’s main island.

The noisy, colourful demonstration calling on the government to scrap its planned extradition law. The march passed without incident. But violence flared shortly after midnight as police moved to clear small groups of protesters who vowed to stay outside parliament.

Demonstrators hurled bottles as police moved in moments after the protest permit expired. Police used pepper spray hoses to push crowds back.

An official Chinese newspaper said yesterday certain “foreign forces” were trying to hurt China by creating chaos and unrest in Hong Kong.

“Any fair-minded person would deem the amendment bill a legitimate, sensible and reasonable piece of legislation that would strengthen Hong Kong’s rule of law and deliver justice,” an editorial in the China Daily said.

“Unfortunately, some Hong Kong residents have been hoodwinked by the opposition camp and their foreign allies into supporting the anti-extradition campaign.”

Human rights groups have repeatedly cited the alleged use of torture, arbitrary detentions, forced confessions and problems accessing lawyers in China.

Hong Kong officials have defended the plans, though they raised the threshold of extraditable offences to crimes carrying penalties of seven years or more.

The rally was reminiscent of 2014, when police used tear gas against pro-democracy demonstrators, setting off two months of rallies.

Hong Kong’s Legislative Council plans to vote on the new law tomorrow.

Picture: GETTY IMAGES / AP Protesters march on a street during a rally against a controversial extradition law proposal. Organisers say more than a million protesters marched in Hong Kong on Sunday against a bill that would allow suspected criminals to be sent to mainland China for trial.