Hundreds gather near Hong Kong Legco a day before second reading of extradition bill, as tensions with police rise
- At nearby Admiralty station, officers are searching the bags of individuals, with some accusing police of abusing their power
- A group of church-goers are chanting and singing in opposition to the legislative amendments
Two days after clashes between protesters and police outside the Hong Kong government’s headquarters, hundreds have returned to the same grounds in opposition against the controversial extradition bill.
On Tuesday night, tensions were running high ahead of a Wednesday legislative session at which lawmakers would consider amendments that sparked a mass protest over the weekend in which hundreds of thousands marched.
The entrance to the Legislative Council was barricaded and the force had thrown a security blanket around the building.
At Admiralty MTR station, dozens of police officers were seen stopping passers-by and searching their bags. Many reacted angrily, saying police had abused their power.
At one point, protesters at the station, which is near government buildings and the legislature, chanted at officers: “Apologise, apologise!”
They said police had no reason for such a heavy presence and that officers should not be randomly searching people’s bags. Civic Party lawmaker Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu, who was at the station to confront police, said there were no grounds for six to seven officers to search one passer-by. Many of those stopped were teenagers, he said.