HK’s Lam apologises over extradition bill
HONG KONG: The semi-autonomous territory’s leader, Carrie Lam, personally apologised yesterday for backing a bill that would allow extraditions to China for the first time, her latest move to try and defuse protests that have rocked the city.
Ms Lam has been under pressure after a historic protest on Sunday calling for her to step down over a bill allowing extraditions to China for the first time. Protesters also want her to withdraw the bill completely, release all arrested demonstrators, stop calling the protests a “riot” and investigate police for excessive violence.
The government announced earlier in the day that roads near the Central Government Offices, which is next to Ms Lam’s office, had “generally become accessible” and urged staff to return to work. The Executive Council that Ms Lam oversees was on recess yesterday, the government said in a separate statement, adding that arrangements for her normal media session would be announced later.
Hundreds of thousands of protesters wearing black flooded downtown Hong Kong on Sunday, prompting her to issue a statement apologising for causing “substantial controversies and disputes in society”. Still, China said on Monday it continues to “firmly support” Ms Lam and her government.
The dispute has attracted attention around the globe to the embarrassment of China: Beijing has blamed foreigners for provoking the protests, and urged other nations to stop getting involved in what it regards as a domestic issue.
Hong Kong’s police on Monday evening dialed back their categorisation of June 12’s clashes with protesters near the city’s legislative building as a “riot”, which has certain legal ramifications. Dropping the description was among the major demands of Sunday’s demonstration.
Only people who threw bricks and wielded metal poles against police officers might have committed riot offences, Police Commissioner Stephen Lo told reporters.
“Others who have participated in the same public order event but have not engaged in any violent act need not to worry about committing rioting offences,” Police Commissioner Lo said. He added that only five people had been arrested on riot-related offenses and that most protesters were “peaceful”.
Police Commissioner Lo last week classified afternoon clashes outside the Legislative Council as rioting. Ms Lam herself also used the term in a video statement released by the government.