Violent clashes mar protest after ‘more than a million’ Hongkongers of all ages and backgrounds march against controversial extradition bill
- Organisers declare turnout to be more than double that of 2003 mass rally that led to Hong Kong’s then leader stepping down
- Chief Executive Carrie Lam vows not to back down on bill, which would allow the transfer of fugitives to mainland China
Protesters used bottles and metal barriers to attack police who tried to drive them away with batons and pepper spray outside Hong Kong’s legislature late on Sunday night at the end of mass rally that drew historic numbers against the government’s highly contentious extradition bill.
Hundreds of diehard remnants of the daytime march remained camped out in front of the government headquarters compound into the night, with more joining them in response to calls from student group Demosisto and pro-independence radicals to surround the Legislative Council building.
A stand-off with police descended into chaos as protesters tried to storm the compound.
Bottles were thrown during pitched battles and at least one officer could be seen with a bloodied face, while some protesters were beaten with batons or wrestled to the ground and taken away.
Earlier on Sunday, protesters of all ages and from all walks of life flooded the streets of Hong Kong in historic numbers in a stunning show of solidarity and defiance against the extradition bill.
Organisers declared the turnout to be more than 1 million, double that of the 2003 mass rally that led to the city’s then leader stepping down.