Two million people reportedly took the streets in Hong Kong on Sunday to protest legislation that would allow residents of the island to be extradited to mainland China for trial.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam apologized in a public statement for mishandling the issue, but declined to say she would step down or scrap the legislation, Reuters reported. The extradition bill was postponed indefinitely Saturday in response to earlier protests.
A former British protectorate, Hong Kong is part of China but retains considerable economic and political independence under a policy dubbed, “One country, two systems.” Residents of the island have long been wary of any effort to place it under more direct control by Beijing. The extradition legislation became a flash point because of concerns over Beijing’s record on human rights and criminal justice. Sunday’s protesters demanded that the Beijing-endorsed extradition bill be completely withdrawn.
Sunday’s protests were peaceful, with throngs filing the square outside the legislature. Protests on Wednesday included police firing tear gas and rubber bullets into a crowd, injuring an estimated 70 people. Sunday’s protesters chanted, “No riot. Only tyranny,” an apparent rejection of the Hong Kong government’s designation of Wednesday’s protests as “riots.” Others held signs that that said, “Stop killing Us.”
