Thousands sign petitions against extradition bill at 90 Hong Kong schools – including city leader Carrie Lam’s alma mater St Francis Canossian College
- More than three-quarters of the Executive Council and most pro-government lawmakers went to schools which now have petitions against controversial plan
- Citywide campaign backed by more than 23,000 has mushroomed days ahead of a massive rally planned by the pro-democracy bloc
More than 23,000 students, alumni and teachers from all public universities and one in seven secondary schools in Hong Kong have joined online petitions against a controversial extradition bill, in a snowballing campaign rarely seen in the city.
Among the nearly 90 schools were the alma maters of the city leader and her aides, as well as the school of the victim in a murder case which the government claims triggered the bill.
The citywide campaign mushroomed overnight on Tuesday, days ahead of a massive rally planned by the pro-democracy bloc on June 9 to oppose the amendment which, if passed, would allow the transfer of fugitives to jurisdictions which the city does not have a treaty with, including mainland China and Taiwan.
Opponents of the bill, including a number of foreign countries, worry about unfair trials and a lack of human rights protections north of the border.
Alumni of St Francis Canossian College, which Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor attended, called on the city’s leader to withdraw the bill immediately.
“We hope our senior alumna can engrave our school motto ‘Live by the truth in love’ on her mind and step back from the precipice to prevent injustice and to defend human rights, freedom and rule of law for the Hong Kong people” the college’s petition, which had 452 signatures by 4pm, read.