Estimated 130,000 protesters join march against proposed extradition law that will allow transfer of fugitives from Hong Kong to mainland China
- Last of the protesters leave starting point in Causeway Bay two hours after march starts
- Government’s No 2 official, Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung, says turnout is not a big concern
An estimated 130,000 protesters took to the streets in Hong Kong on Sunday to oppose a legislative amendment that would allow the transfer of fugitives to places such as mainland China, in the largest turnout for a rally in five years.
Organiser Civil Human Rights Front, warning it could escalate its actions, demanded the proposed law be dropped immediately. It called the controversial plan the “send to China rules”, a phrase which in Cantonese sounds like the term for funeral rites.
The protesters, from all walks of life, also called on the city’s leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor to step down, accusing her of betraying the Hong Kong people.
The front, a coalition of human rights and pro-democracy groups, said 130,000 took part in the march from Causeway Bay to the Legislative Council in Admiralty, while police estimated that at its height, 22,800 joined.
Marchers took more than four hours to make their way along the 2.2km route.
Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, the city’s No 2 official, said Hong Kong people enjoyed the freedom of speech and of assembly and the right to stage protests.