Riot police faced off with demonstrators early this morning in Hong Kong as hundreds of thousands of people marched to the Admiralty business district where the government headquarters is located to protest a proposed extradition law.
According to a report by The Guardian, the peace and calm outside the government HQ quickly turned rowdy as police wearing riot gear moved in with batons and pepper spray on protesters who hurled bottles and metal barricades
The protest was targeted at Carrie Lam, the Chief executive of Hong Kong who is pushing for the amendments to be passed before July this year.
PETALING JAYA: Riot police faced off with demonstrators early this morning in Hong Kong as hundreds of thousands of people marched to the Admiralty business district where the government headquarters is located to protest a proposed extradition law.
According to reports, a sea of people wearing mainly white began marching from Victoria Park in East Hong Kong to the government centre for seven hours, bringing the total headcount as estimated by organisers to 1,030,000 over an hour ago.
The number far exceeded the turnout in 2003 where half that number successfully challenged government plans for tighter national security laws.
According to a report by The Guardian, the peace and calm outside the government HQ quickly turned rowdy as police wearing riot gear moved in with batons and pepper spray on protesters who hurled bottles and metal barricades
The report read;
“Small groups of young protesters had planned to stay outside the government HQ until Wednesday, when the extradition bill is due to have its second reading, but police moved in on them after their permission to protest expired at midnight. Within minutes scenes of chaos unfolded as protesters fought with officers who were soon backed by riot police.
“Critics say the proposed law will allow mainland China to pursue its political opponents in the city, which has traditionally been a safe haven from the Communist party.”
The protest was targeted at Carrie Lam, the Chief executive of Hong Kong who is pushing for the amendments to be passed before July this year.
There is a growing resentment among Hong Kong nationals against Beijing, said to have been fuelled by the jailing of individuals who founded Occupy Central with Love and Peace, a social movement credited for organising pro-democracy protests in 2014.
60-year old sociology professor Chan Kin-man, 54-year old law professor Benny Tai and 75-year old Baptist minister the Rev Chu Yiu-ming were among nine pro-democracy campaigners convicted over their leadership of an “umbrella movement” that triggered a city-wide strike demanding fair and democratic elections.
The Guardian added:
“Corrupt Chinese officials and tycoons who have fled to Hong Kong are also a key concern for the mainland government, which has never had a fugitive transfer request to Hong Kong granted in the 22 years since the end of British rule.
“Human rights groups, legal alliances and numerous governments have expressed their concern about the bill.”
THE THIRD FORCE
