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Hong Kong (Reuters): Hong Kong was plunged into chaos again on Thursday as protesters rallied outside the justice secretary’s offices, blocking roads and forcing workers to leave in the latest unrest to rock the city over an extradition bill that has now been suspended.
Millions have thronged the streets in the past three weeks to demand that the bill, which would allow criminal suspects to be sent to the mainland for trial in courts controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, be scrapped altogether.
“I think this movement is very successful because this time the goal is very clear,” said one protester, Ken Yau, drawing a contrast with Hong Kong’s 2014 democracy movement that gridlocked parts of the Asian financial centre for 79 days. “I was 11 when the Umbrella Movement happened. I only went to the occupied sites a few times with my family.”
In sweltering heat of 32 degrees C (89.6°F), some protesters chanted, “Withdraw evil law, release martyrs...Teresa Cheng, come out,” referring to the justice secretary. Others shouted, “Condemn excessive force by police and release protesters.”
Police formed a cordon to block the demonstrators, and one officer held a banner warning them away. Minor scuffles broke out between pro-democracy group Demosisto and officers.
“Fight for Justice”, “Free Hong Kong,” and “Democracy Now” were some of the demands emblazoned on the protesters’ banners.
Police Chief Stephen Lo warned of consequences for outbreaks of violence and condemned what he said was an environment of hostility making his officers’ task difficult.
The demonstrators have seized on this week’s G20 summit of world leaders in Japan to appeal for Hong Kong’s plight to be put on the agenda, a move certain to rile Beijing, which has vowed not to tolerate such discussion.
