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AFP
Hong Kong
Some two million protesters choked Hong Kong’s streets in a powerful rebuke of a reviled extradition law, organisers said Sunday, piling pressure on the city’s embattled pro-Beijing leader who apologised for causing “conflict” but refused to step down.
The historic show of force saw vast crowds marching for hours in tropical heat, calling for the resignation of chief executive Carrie Lam, who was forced to suspend the bill as public anger mounted.
Throngs of largely black-clad protesters snaked their way for miles through the streets to the city’s parliament –with the organiser estimate for the crowd size doubling an already record-breaking demonstration last Sunday.
Police, who historically give far lower estimates for political protests, said 338,000 people turned out at its “peak”.
As night fell the huge crowds had once more taken over multiple major thoroughfares, including outside the legislature, with the police seemingly ceding the streets to the jubilant masses.
Critics fear the Beijing-backed law will entangle people in China’s notoriously opaque and politicised courts and damage the city’s reputation as a safe business hub.
Lam’s office put out a statement late Sunday admitting that shortcomings in how her administration handled the law had “led to a lot of conflict and disputes” and “disappointed and distressed many citizens”.
It came a day after she announced she would postpone the law indefinitely.
But it fell well short of protester demands that she resign, shelve the bill permanently and apologise for police using tear gas and rubber bullets earlier in the week.
The Civil Human Rights Front, which is organising the huge rallies, said Hong Kongers would protest and strike on Monday “until their voices are heard”.
The international finance hub was rocked Wednesday by the worst political violence in decades as protesters were dispersed by baton-wielding riot police.
Many accused the police of using excessive force, and anger was further fanned by authorities calling the largely young protesters “rioters”.
Hong Kong
Some two million protesters choked Hong Kong’s streets in a powerful rebuke of a reviled extradition law, organisers said Sunday, piling pressure on the city’s embattled pro-Beijing leader who apologised for causing “conflict” but refused to step down.
The historic show of force saw vast crowds marching for hours in tropical heat, calling for the resignation of chief executive Carrie Lam, who was forced to suspend the bill as public anger mounted.
Throngs of largely black-clad protesters snaked their way for miles through the streets to the city’s parliament –with the organiser estimate for the crowd size doubling an already record-breaking demonstration last Sunday.
Police, who historically give far lower estimates for political protests, said 338,000 people turned out at its “peak”.
As night fell the huge crowds had once more taken over multiple major thoroughfares, including outside the legislature, with the police seemingly ceding the streets to the jubilant masses.
Critics fear the Beijing-backed law will entangle people in China’s notoriously opaque and politicised courts and damage the city’s reputation as a safe business hub.
Lam’s office put out a statement late Sunday admitting that shortcomings in how her administration handled the law had “led to a lot of conflict and disputes” and “disappointed and distressed many citizens”.
It came a day after she announced she would postpone the law indefinitely.
But it fell well short of protester demands that she resign, shelve the bill permanently and apologise for police using tear gas and rubber bullets earlier in the week.
The Civil Human Rights Front, which is organising the huge rallies, said Hong Kongers would protest and strike on Monday “until their voices are heard”.
The international finance hub was rocked Wednesday by the worst political violence in decades as protesters were dispersed by baton-wielding riot police.
Many accused the police of using excessive force, and anger was further fanned by authorities calling the largely young protesters “rioters”.
