Extradition bill debate postponed for third time after Hong Kong protests
- Legislative Council president makes announcement in circular sent to lawmakers
- No date set for second reading as city slowly gets back to normal and counts cost of clashes between protesters and police
The president of Hong Kong’s legislature has again postponed a debate on the city’s polarising extradition bill, the day after tens of thousands of protesters blocked access to the chamber.
On Thursday morning, Legco’s secretariat issued a circular on behalf of president Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, who had kept a low profile over the previous 24 hours. It said no meeting would be held on Thursday, a day after the protests forced the second reading of the legislation to be called off. Leung later cancelled a full council meeting on Friday.
Officials made the announcement as the city began picking up the pieces in the aftermath of violent clashes in Admiralty during which almost 80 people, including protesters, police officers and journalists, were injured.
Wednesday’s protest turned violent in the afternoon when riot police fired rubber bullets, tear gas and pepper spray at protesters, who hurled a variety of objects at officers, and repeatedly tried to push through their defensive lines.
“Members will be notified of the time of the meeting once it is determined by the president,” the circular read.
Pro-establishment sources said Leung and other government supporters spent Wednesday at the Central Police District Headquarters as they could not enter the legislature.