Hong Kong - Protesters tried to storm Hong
Kong's legislature on the anniversary of the city's return to
Chinese rule on Monday, using a metal trolley and poles to smash
windows amid anger over planned legislation that would allow
extraditions to China.
More than 100 riot police raced towards protesters, beating
some with batons as they fell to the ground, and used pepper
spray to try to disperse crowds gathered near where officials
were preparing a ceremony to mark the 1997 handover.
More than a million people have taken to the streets at
times over the past three weeks to vent their anger and
frustration at Hong Kong's Beijing-backed leader Carrie Lam,
posing the greatest popular challenge to Chinese leader Xi
Jinping since he came to power in 2012.
Opponents of the now-suspended extradition bill, which would
allow people to be sent to mainland China for trial in courts
controlled by the Communist Party, fear it is a threat to Hong
Kong's much-cherished rule of law and are demanding it be
scrapped and Lam step down.
Protesters try to break into the Legislative Council building where riot police are seen, during the anniversary of Hong Kong's handover to China in Hong Kong. Picture: Tyrone Siu/Reuters
Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule under a "one country, two
systems" formula that allows freedoms not enjoyed in mainland
China, including freedom of protest and a much-cherished
independent judiciary.
Beijing denies interfering but, for many Hong Kong
residents, the extradition bill is the latest step in a
relentless march towards mainland control.
Police fired pepper spray to disperse some demonstrators,
mostly black-clad students wearing hard hats and face masks,
with authorities bracing for an annual rally due to start at
0630 GMT.
A protester gestures as he tries to break into the Legislative Council building where riot police are seen, during the anniversary of Hong Kong's handover to China. Picture: Thomas Peter/Reuters
The protesters once again paralysed parts of the financial
hub as they occupied roads after blocking them off with metal
barriers and wooden planks.
A tired-looking Lam appeared in public for the first time in
nearly two weeks to attend the anniversary ceremony, flanked by
her husband and former Hong Kong leader Tung Chee-hwa.
Weeks of unrest forced nervous authorities to deploy a
massive security blanket around the waterfront Convention and
Exhibition Centre, the venue for the flag-raising ceremony.
Protestors hold black balloons to symbolize mourning for Hong Kong during protests. Picture: Kin Cheung/AP
Lam said the government needed to change its style of
governance and pledged to do more for young people.
"The incident that happened in recent months has led to
controversies and disputes between the public and the
government. This has made me fully realise that I, as a
politician, have to remind myself all the time of the need to
grasp public sentiments accurately," Lam said.
RUBBER BULLETS, TEAR GAS
Tensions spiralled on June 12 when police fired rubber
bullets and tear gas at anti-extradition protesters near the
heart of the city, sending plumes of smoke billowing among some
of the world's tallest skyscrapers.
Protesters try to break into the Legislative Council building where riot police are seen, during the anniversary of Hong Kong's handover to China. Picture: Tyrone Siu/Reuters
The uproar over the bill has reignited a protest movement
that had lost steam after pro-democracy demonstrations in 2014
failed to force concessions from Beijing and led to the arrests
of hundreds of activists.
Activists raised a black bauhinia flag to half mast outside
the Legislative Council building before the rally and turned
Hong Kong's official flag, featuring a white bauhinia flower on
a red background, upside down.
The demonstrations have brought havoc, forcing the closure
of government offices on several occasions and triggering chaos
as protesters blocked roads and besieged police headquarters.
A protester holds a black flag to symbolize mourning during a protest in Hong Kong. Picture: Kin Cheung/AP
The turmoil comes at a delicate time for Beijing, which is
grappling with a trade dispute with the United States, a
faltering economy and tensions in the South China Sea.
Lam said after suspending the bill she had heard the people
"loud and clear". However, she stopped short of activists'
demands to scrap it altogether.
Activists are also demanding the government drop charges
against those arrested during the protests, charge police with
what they describe as excessive use of force and stop referring
to the demonstrations as a riot, a term that can bring a heavier
jail sentence.
Protesters try to break into the Legislative Council building where riot police are seen, during the anniversary of Hong Kong's handover to Chin. Picture: Tyrone Siu/Reuters
Opponents of the extradition bill fear it would put them at
the mercy of China's justice system, where human rights are not
guaranteed.
Beyond the public outcry, the extradition bill has spooked
some of Hong Kong's tycoons into starting to move their personal
wealth offshore, according to financial advisers, bankers and
lawyers familiar with the details.
