Hong Kong Sees Second Round of Demonstrations

Hong Kong activists remained steadfast on Wednesday, 19 June, with their demands to have legislators withdraw a controversial extradition bill – now, they have demanded the city’s leader to take responsibility and stand down.

Protests exploded last week Wednesday, 12 June, when Chinese lawmakers were set to discuss proposed legislation that would give the government powers to extradite dissidents in the city back to mainland China.

Sit-ins, marches that crowded streets outside the Legislative Council buildings, and clashes with the police led Hong Kong Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, to apologise for the heavy-handed tactics used by the police on Tuesday, 18 June, and announced the suspension of the contentious bill.

Reports claim that two million of the city’s seven million residents took part in the marches. Protesters are now demanding Lam’s resignation in addition to a full cancellation of the proposed decree.

The scenes of civil disobedience have exposed the deep rifts in the former British colony, and the disconnect between the government and its citizenry.

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