Hundreds of thousands of protesters march through Hong Kong against China extradition bill Elizabeth Beattie, Hong Kong
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/06/09/hundreds-thousands-protesters-march-hong-kong-against-china/
Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets in Hong Kong to demonstrate against a controversial extradition law that would allow suspects to be sent to mainland China.
Protesters carrying banners denouncing the law and demanding the resignation of Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s defied thirty degree heat to march two miles to the city’s Legislative Council on Sunday.
Organisers estimated more than a million people attended the march, which flooded the city’s public transport network and led to widespread congestion. Police said the crowd reached 240,000 at its peak.
The proposed law would enable the Beijing government to extradite fugitives in Hong Kong to mainland China. Hong Kong currently limits extraditions to jurisdictions with which it has existing extradition agreements or to others on an individual basis under a law passed before 1997.
China was excluded because of concerns over its record on legal independence and human rights. Ms Lam is billing the law as closing legal ‘“loopholes’’, visible in a recent murder case when a Hong Kong man murdered his girlfriend in Taiwan before fleeing back to his home country.
Her government plans to bring the contentious bill to the full legislature this week, bypassing the committee process in a bid to win approval by the end of the month.
But critics of the law are concerned that it could be used to silence the Beijing government’s critics. Legal professionals in Hong Kong say the bill would remove human rights protections enshrined in the common law legal system the city inherited from British rule.
“The government didn’t explain why they tried to delete that type of protection, so this gave rise to my concerns,” said a lawyer in his 30s who marched on Sunday and also asked to remain anonymous.
“This proposed legislation really bothers a lot of people,” he added. The massive demonstration was the biggest anti-government march since 2014’s Umbrella Movement protests against interference in Hong Kong’s elections.
It was impossible to miss the ubiquitous presence of yellow umbrellas hovering across the city on Sunday as demonstrators paid tribute to that movement.
Despite the heat, there was no lack of enthusiasm. Even hours after protesters had arrived at the Legislative Council Complex, thousands were still waiting at the starting point.
Organisers also set up water stations where marchers could refill their water bottles as crowds snaked across the city. A number of businesses had also closed up shop in solidarity.
“This law has not been consulted on by the public. 20 days is nothing for such an important bill to pass,” said a protester in her 20s who requested anonymity to protect her from retaliation.
“It’s very touching a lot of people are here, because this law hits close to home for a lot of people,” Zoey, another protester who declined to give her surname, said she wasn’t usually engaged in political activity but she “had to come out” today because of the gravity of the extradition bill.
Many people she knew were considering leaving because of it.
“I have a choice because I studied in New Zealand, and I have permanent residency… but I don’t want to leave my family,” she said.
The controversial law comes amid mounting concern about erosion of the island city’s traditional liberties Last month two activists became the first people from Hong Kong to be granted political asylum abroad.
Ray Wong, 25, and Alan Li, 27, who are wanted on rioting charges following clashes between protesters and police in 2016, were granted refugee status in Germany.
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