Fresh wave of protests as Hong Kong ignores deadline to scrap extradition bill

[webfact]

Fresh wave of protests as Hong Kong ignores deadline to scrap extradition bill

By Anne Marie Roantree

 

Christian demonstrators sit near the office of the Chief Executive as protests against the extradition bill continue, along a road near the Legislative Council building in Hong Kong, China June 20, 2019. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

 

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Several hundred people rallied in Hong Kong on Friday after the expiry of a deadline protesters set for the government to completely scrap a controversial extradition bill, in the latest wave of protests in the Chinese-ruled city.

 

Demonstrators, mostly students dressed in black, gathered peacefully outside the legislature to vent their anger and frustration at Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam who promoted, and then postponed, the bill after mass protests.

 

The bill would allow suspected criminals to be extradited to the mainland to face trial in courts controlled by the Communist Party.

 

"We want to fight for our freedom," said high school student Chan Pak-lam, 17, one of those gathered in temperatures of about 30 degrees Celsius (86°F) outside the headquarters, which was temporarily shut on Friday in anticipation of protests.

 

"We want the law to be withdrawn, not suspended. I will stay here until tonight, 10 p.m. maybe. If the government doesn't respond, we will come again."

 

Since it returned to Chinese rule in 1997, Hong Kong has been governed under a "one country, two systems" formula that allows freedoms not enjoyed in mainland China, including a much-cherished independent judiciary.

 

But many residents are increasingly fearful of Beijing's tightening grip over the city and what they see as an erosion of civil liberties.

 

Lam has stopped short of axing the bill altogether, unnerving many who fear the law could put them at the mercy of the mainland Chinese justice system which is plagued by torture, forced confessions and arbitrary detentions.

 

Last week saw some of the most violent protests in decades, when police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowds. Millions have taken to the streets this month, reflecting the broad opposition to the bill.

 

Concerns have spread from democratic and human rights groups to secondary school students, church groups and media lobbies as well as corporate lawyers and pro-establishment business figures, some usually loath to contradict the government.

 

(Reporting by Anne Marie Roantree and Vimvam Tong; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-06-21

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[neeray]

38 minutes ago, webfact said:

"We want to fight for our freedom," said high school student Chan Pak-lam, 17, one of those gathered in temperatures of about 30 degrees Celsius (86°F) outside the headquarters, which was temporarily shut on Friday in anticipation of protests.

Good!

This is how I expect the youth in "other" countries to stand up for their rights.

 

Strength in numbers.

[mlmcleod]

Sadly, the citizens of Hong Kong are screwed.  If the legislation does not pass China will just replace the judges that are "independant".  It's a catch-22 situation there!  The bilateral agreement with Great Britain when the colony was returned to China was always a farce just to keep Hong Kong residents from fleeing to Great Britain.

[jesimps]

7 minutes ago, mlmcleod said:

Sadly, the citizens of Hong Kong are screwed.  If the legislation does not pass China will just replace the judges that are "independant".  It's a catch-22 situation there!  The bilateral agreement with Great Britain when the colony was returned to China was always a farce just to keep Hong Kong residents from fleeing to Great Britain.

UK governments don't even keep their promises to the Brits living in the UK, it's no surprise they broke them to the HK Chinese.

[Traubert]

8 minutes ago, mlmcleod said:

Sadly, the citizens of Hong Kong are screwed.  If the legislation does not pass China will just replace the judges that are "independant".  It's a catch-22 situation there!  The bilateral agreement with Great Britain when the colony was returned to China was always a farce just to keep Hong Kong residents from fleeing to Great Britain.

They couldn't flee to Britain. Britain wouldn't give them passports. Some useless document titled

Hong Kong British was offered but it didn't get you into UK.

 

While Reuters are keen on mentioning rubber bullets and tear gas, I see they avoid giving the same publicity to the paving bricks and showers of urine filled bottles that came the other way and provoked the response in the first place.