STREETS OF RAGE
Now 2m protesters call on Hong Kong leader to quit in extradition storm
AN estimated two million demonstrators choked hong Kong’s streets yesterday to protest against a controversial extradition law – even though the legislation was suspended on Saturday.
Protesters want the bill to allow suspects to be sent from hong Kong to mainland china to be axed completely.
A 35-year-old man died on Saturday after he fell from a building where he had been holding a banner attacking the bill, which many fear would give china too much influence over hong Kong.
Protesters – who had already held mass demonstrations the previous Sunday and on Wednesday – are calling for its chief executive, carrie Lam, to resign over her handling of the issue.
yesterday, she admitted that shortcomings in how her administration handled the proposed law – which is being debated by hong Kong’s parliament – had ‘led to conflict’ and ‘distressed citizens’.
A statement from her office said: ‘The and promises chief executive to accept apologises criticism with the most humble attitude.’
But critics said she did not address demands that she scrap the bill, apologise for police use of tear gas, batons and rubber bullets against protesters in violent clashes on Wednesday, and quit. Political analyst Dixon Sing said: ‘hong Kong people feel she’s not sincere and continues to be extremely the anger will arrogant. subside.’ i don’t think Organisers claimed two million people protested yesterday out of a population of 7.5million. They snaked their way for miles through the streets to the parliament, blocking several major roads and bringing the city to a standstill. Many of the black-clad protesters crossed their arms above their heads in a symbol of defiance.
The former British colony was returned to china in 1997 under a ‘one country, two systems’ agreement that guarantees it a certain amount of autonomy.
The hong Kong government claimed the proposed extradition bill would ‘plug legal loopholes’ and prevent the city becoming a haven for criminals.
The legislation, which is backed by Beijing, was drawn up after china was unable to extradite a hong Kong man who killed his chinese girlfriend.
But many hong Kong residents see china’s justice system as politicised, heavy handed and corrupt.