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SCMP Reporters

After hundreds of protesters started a quiet and peaceful sit-in in Hong Kong's political centre on Friday morning, their actions escalated gradually from about 11am and continued into the night, with thousands around the police headquarters in Wan Chai.
Demonstrators in black T-shirts and masks earlier spilled onto Harcourt Road, the thoroughfare between Admiralty and Central, setting up roadblocks and trapping vehicles. They were calling for – among other demands – the full withdrawal of the controversial extradition legislation, which the government suspended last week.
You can see how it played out below. 




As it happened: How Hong Kong extradition bill protesters continued siege of police headquarters into Friday night

As night falls, protesters are still outside the police headquarters in Wan Chai. Photo: Edmond So

Questions over credibility of Hong Kong Police Force as security chief says riot squad uniforms have no room for officers’ identity numbers

News

Hong Kong

Politics

There were violent clashes on June 12 outside the legislature. Photo: Felix Wong

Secretary for Security, John Lee Ka-chiu leaves after the Legislative Council meeting at the Legislative Council in Tamar. 19JUN19 SCMP / Nora Tam

Police Special Tactical Squad engaged in fierce clashes with protesters on early morning of June 10. They were however spotted with police badge number on. 10JUN19 SCMP/ Sam Tsang

Stephen Lo Wai-chung, Police Commissioner, meets the press at the Police Headquarters, Wan Chai. 13JUN19 SCMP / K. Y. Cheng

A group of anti-riot police officers (Special Tactical Squad) advance on Harcourt Road in Admiralty to disperse anti-extradition bill protesters near Central Government Offices in Admiralty. 12JUN19 SCMP / Sam Tsang

A peaceful sit-in near the legislature escalated into a road occupation before heading to the Wan Chai headquarters
The government had not acceded to protesters' demands by the set deadline of Thursday evening


A peaceful sit-in near the legislature escalated into a road occupation before heading to the Wan Chai headquarters.


Hong Kong extradition bill

Live

Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah breaks her silence and issues a written apology over the bill. She joins not only Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, but Secretary for Security John Lee Ka-chiu in saying sorry over the government’s performance.
“I offer my sincere apology to all people of Hong Kong,” Cheng’s statement, on her blog, reads.
“We promise to adopt a most sincere and humble attitude to accept criticisms and make improvements in serving the public,” it continues, using the exact same wording as Lam’s apology on Tuesday.
 


Another apology

People have been gathering around the government headquarters and the Legislative Council in Admiralty since 7am, and by 10am the number has grown to around 1,000.
They have four demands: that Lam fully withdraws the suspended extradition bill; that she retracts all references to the clashes between protesters and police on June 12 as a riot; that she punishes police officers who they say used excessive force; and that authorities drop all charges against protesters.
The young protesters, wearing masks and dressed in black, are relaxing at the site, with no uniformed police in sight.
A Legco transport panel meeting was cancelled as protesters blocked the car park.
Elsewhere, police officers were seen patrolling major subway interchanges, such as Kowloon Tong and Admiralty, to guard against disruption.
 


Protesters gather in Admiralty

Shortly before 11am, protesters begin to block the eastbound lanes of Harcourt Road, soon followed by the westbound lanes.
Cars in the eastbound lanes have either been let go or have left the road, while the blockade on the other side leaves long queues of cars with drivers honking horns in an attempt to get the crowds to move.



Blocking the roads

Pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong Chi-fung, who was released from jail on Monday, urges people to go and surround police headquarters on Arsenal Street, Wan Chai.
 
Hundreds of protesters gathering outside the police HQs in Wan Chai, blocking the Arsenal St. They shouted for Commissioner of Police Stephen Lo to come out. Police presence at the scene is thin and low. pic.twitter.com/fBglxIaXxN
— Xinqi Su (@XScmp) June 21, 2019


Surrounding police headquarters

Police have erected barricades near their headquarters.
 
Police built up barricades at one of the entrances to the force's HQs. Protesters shouting "investigate black cops!" "release those arrested!" Only a dozen officers are on guard, without anti riot gears. pic.twitter.com/GCozRY9Yay
— Xinqi Su (@XScmp) June 21, 2019


Police respond

Two Legco sources say both the House Committee meeting and the Finance Committee meeting this afternoon will be cancelled.


Legislative Council delays

Protesters against the extradition bill gather outside the police headquarters in Wan Chai, and demand to meet Commissioner of Police Stephen Lo Wai-chung.




Police headquarters

Some sections of Harcourt Road are open for traffic.
 
#extraditionbill At 11:11am The West bound of Harcourt Road was blocked, but the cars on East bound was let go. People shouting “Withdraw”. pic.twitter.com/qXnBt2iMWQ
— Athena (@AthenaCDaily) June 21, 2019


Slow going in Admiralty

Police are closing the main gates at their headquarters.
 
Police have shut the metal gate to its HQs while thousands of protesters are shouting "Shame on black cops" outside, blocking Arsenal St and its junctions with Lockhart Rd and Hennesy Rd pic.twitter.com/bcK9COpbL2
— Xinqi Su (@XScmp) June 21, 2019


Shutting up shop

Police say on their Twitter account that protesters "have deliberately obstructed Harcourt Road and the nearby areas in Admiralty. Police strongly condemned such irresponsible behaviour and appeal to drivers not to drive to the affected areas."
"At the same time," they add, "groups of protesters are surrounding the police headquarters, it will seriously affect the emergency services provided by police. Police now appeal to protesters to express their views in a peaceful and rational manner and stay safe."



Police warn drivers to stay away

Protesters have been more flexible and mobile in occupying roads. Harcourt Road, which was occupied 30 minutes ago, is now largely deserted.



Change in tactics

Yolanda Yu, senior superintendent of the police public relations branch, urges people blocking Harcourt Road and the police headquarters to leave peacefully as soon as possible.
"We want to emphasise that this is not a clearance operation," Yu says. "We respect the citizens' rights to express their views in a peaceful manner."
Yu said negotiation experts would be sent to persuade the protesters to leave, but she refused to say what the response would be if that failed. Protesters, meanwhile, insist that police commissioner Stephen Lo must meet them. 



Time to talk

The Legco secretariat announces the Finance Committee meeting this afternoon is cancelled.


Meeting cancelled

Joshua Wong cuts off the police negotiator before they can even finish their first sentence.
Police attempt to negotiate with protesters failed before the opening line was finished. Demosisto @joshuawongcf stormed the scene, leading the crowd to shout for police commissioner Stephen Lo to come out and meet demands. pic.twitter.com/v6UhNha4xA
— Xinqi Su (@XScmp) June 21, 2019


Negotiations fail

Protesters use police crowd control barriers to blockade the entrance to the forces' headquarters in Wan Chai. 




Turning the tables

As of noon, protesters have already occupied the westbound and eastbound lanes of Harcourt Road, part of the road going eastbound on Queensway from Rodney Street, Arsenal Street off the police headquarters, and also part of Hennessy Road.


Roads closed

The crowd have been singing the hymn 'Sing Hallelujah to the Lord' outside police headquarters.
From hallelujah to deafening boos that ring round the street outside the police HQ @SCMPNews pic.twitter.com/7KLCIflY7N
— Danny Lee (@JournoDannyAero) June 21, 2019


Singing and booing

Traffic in Wan Chai and Admiralty has come to almost a complete standstill. At Gloucester Road, although there are no barricades, only one lane is in use. Earlier, passengers were forced to get out of cars after protesters blockaded Harcourt Road near government offices in Tamar, Admiralty. 




Empty streets

Police have tried to talk with protesters for a second time, but their voices were drowned out by a chorus of boos.
Police second attempt to negotiate lasted over 2mins from a height. The negotiater's words emphasizing that this is no a clearance operation are barely audible when the protesters keep chanting and booing. pic.twitter.com/TkMVRoyBWE
— Xinqi Su (@XScmp) June 21, 2019


Negotiations fail again

Police say they have no plans to clear the entrance outside the headquarters on Arsenal Street, but Joshua Wong tells the 1,000-strong crowd “we cannot believe” what the police say.
Wong also says “direct action, confrontational protests” is the plan for today.
Meanwhile, protesters are organising online and calling for the besieging of the Inland Revenue Department complex. There are about 50 protesters there now, and the number is slowly growing. Security guards have already shut one of the building's main entrances.


Call for direct action

Lawmakers Au Nok-hin and Ted Hui Chi-fung say they would like to speak to the police's complaints and internal investigations branch, and ask officers to open the gate.



Lawmakers arrive

The Legco secretariat says all guided tours and services to the public in the Legco complex, including the public complaints office, Legco library, archives, and children's corner, will be suspended from 2pm today until further notice.
 


Legco services suspended

Protesters are now bringing out barricades near the Inland Revenue Building in Wan Chai. They say there is no immediate plan to block Gloucester Road, although traffic is slowing down.



Protesters on move

Hongkongers wanting to report a crime will not be able to go to Wan Chai police station to do it, the Hong Kong Police Force announces via its official Twitter account. The report room will not be available until further notice, and the public are being told to call 999 in an emergency.


Police service suspended

Hundreds of protesters are now blocking the main entrance of the Inland Revenue Department building. Some government employees have tried to enter, but were stopped by protesters.
Minor quarrels broke out as some employees said: “I’m just trying to get back to the office!”
Protesters responded: “Sorry there’s no way in, but you can come join us on strike!”



No way through

The secretary for the civil service, Joshua Law Chi-kong, says bureaus and departments based at government headquarters, which is closed for security reasons, have activated contingency plans to allow civil servants to continue working.
"We hope by doing this, we can minimise the impact on the community," he says. "I believe our civil servants are professional. They will be able to adjust and adapt to all the different situations and continue to do their best to provide the best quality service for the public."


Work goes on

Eight routes of New World First Bus and Citybus have been suspended, while 46 daytime routes are diverted as a result of roads blocked in Admiralty and Wan Chai. The eight routes are: 12A, 12M, 13, 23, H1, H2, W1 and X15
Meanwhile, KMB said 14 of its routes are detouring or skipping some stops. They are: 104, 115, 307, 373, 601, 603, 641, 673, 680, 690, 905, 936, 948 and 978.


Bus delays and diversions

Protesters are blocking the Inland Revenue building, but not stopping Hongkongers from going about their business.
Protesters also helped other citizens to pass on and file their tax returns. #ExtraditionBill pic.twitter.com/dtsKAryafu
— Alvin L (@alvinllum) June 21, 2019


Taxing time

Protesters outside police headquarters are sitting down during the hottest part of the day, while Gloucester Road is empty as people gather in the shade under a flyover. The temperature in Hong Kong right now is 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 degrees Fahrenheit).




Turning up the heat

A police source says all civilian staff working at the police headquarters are allowed to be off-duty after lunch if they have difficulties returning to the office.


Extended lunch break

Altogether 180 protesters are gathered in Tim Mei Avenue and Harcourt Road. The atmosphere remains peaceful and quiet.



All quiet in Admiralty

The two main entrances and most of the side entrances to the District Court are closed. Scores of police officers are waiting inside the lobby, but hearings seem to be unaffected. Lawyers are still arriving at the court.


No delay to court proceedings

At least two government departments told staff working in Revenue Tower, where protesters have blocked the main entrance, to finish early. That includes employees in the Environment Department and the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer.
However, staff returning from lunch are going through the underground car park, which also connects Immigration Tower to Revenue Tower.



Getting back to work

Protesters are moving from the front gate of the police headquarters in Wan Chai to another entrance close to a flyover at the junction of Harcourt Road and Gloucester Road.
Tension are raised at the Harcourt Road entrance as officers fail to close the gate protesters are blocking. Police raise a banner saying "Police Cordon. Do Not Cross". The gate is closed.
Protesters swarmed from the front gate of police HQs to another entrance at the junction of Harcourt and Gloucester roads. #AntiELAB protesters shouted "Release the arrested" Some said the police had raised a yellow warning flag. pic.twitter.com/nmssKROBKf
— Xinqi Su (@XScmp) June 21, 2019


Change of focus

Queensway through Admiralty is congested as the connected westbound lane of Hennessy Road is closed because of the protest outside police headquarters.



Traffic delays

Hundreds of protesters stationed at Revenue Tower move to Immigration Tower. One main entrance is blocked but other entrances are still open.
They chant: “Withdraw [the bill]! Carrie Lam step down!"
 


Immigration Tower

An estimated 1,500 protesters are at the Gloucester Road and Harcourt Road junction.
A number of passers-by take photos of the protests from the pedestrian bridge, and are told not to unless they are journalists.



Crowds growing in size

Protesters at the junction of Harcourt Road and Gloucester Road are highly sensitive to cameras of all sorts, using umbrellas to block the CCTV cameras on the walls of police headquarters and constantly warning bystanders not to take photos.
"Don't take photos if you are not a journalist. All reporters please show your press card," a man says through a loudspeaker.



No pictures please

Barrister Maurice Tracy says he was stuck in the crowd for at least 45 minutes and struggled to return to the District Court, where he is prosecuting a fraud case.
“This disturbance causes a great deal of inconvenience to the court and witnesses,” he says. “It is causing a lot of delay, which will lead to waste of public money.”


Holding up proceedings

A man crosses Gloucester Road, which has been blocked by protesters.



All quiet

Protesters outside police headquarters in Wan Chai are being told to make sure they get some rest in the shade and drink lots of water.
“Go to somewhere in the shade and stay hydrated. Everyone can stay calm now because the gate [at police headquarters] is down, they will not come out from there for a good while,” says a protester, addressing the crowd through a loudspeaker.



Staying hydrated

Erick Tsang, the director of immigration, has been at the immigration building, where protesters are blocking a main entrance. The director of the Chief Executive's Office, Eric Chan Kwok-ki, entered Immigration Tower at around 2pm, but did not take any questions from the press.


Looking around

The city's biggest pro-Beijing party, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, says one of its lawmakers was only stating "her own view" when she said on a television interview this morning that the government should reintroduce the bill in one or two months' time after a massive publicity campaign.
Ann Chiang Lai-wan told Now TV the government should increase resources on further explaining the bill, "promoting it on television stations day and night" because many people were not clear what the bill was about.
The party statement says DAB respects the chief executive's decision to suspend the bill indefinitely in order to restore social peace.


Lawmaker backs reintroducing bill

Some protesters are wrapping their arms with plastic food wrap ahead of any confrontation with police that involves the use of pepper spray.


Preparing for the worst

The Labour Department says services at its recruitment centres for the catering industry, and the retail industry, and the job centre for Hong Kong East area, all located at Revenue Tower, are suspended this afternoon because of the protest.


Further suspension of government services

Police say as of 3.35pm a total of 28 '999' calls in Wan Chai cannot be immediately dealt with because its headquarters is surrounded by protesters. Extra resources were deployed and services to the area delayed. Police are appealing for protesters to leave so they can resume emergency services.


Emergency services delayed

Protesters have built a barricade with stone blocks on Gloucester Road.



Blocking the road

A few people are seen throwing eggs into police headquarters from Harcourt Road but two other protesters go to talk them out of it. One woman says: "Please don’t throw things, it has taken us a long time to get respect from people. Police have not done anything yet. Please!"
The woman picks up the box of eggs and says she will throw them away.



Keeping police onside

An ambulance left Arsenal Street and out towards Gloucester Road, and protesters made way for it to pass through.



Getting out of the way

Dozens of people visiting Revenue Tower in Wan Chai to hand in tax forms and other documents are turned away at the door by security guards who say the offices are closed for the rest of the day because of the protests.
Staff members tell the Post the property management office sent out emails at around 12.45pm asking workers to leave.
Michelle Bae, 24, there to hand in some documents, says: “I’m so shocked, this is pretty urgent, I don’t know what I should do now. I think it’s irresponsible of the government. I understand the protesters are fighting for their rights, but the government should respond promptly.”
Others are not so understanding. 
“These people are so young, they don’t have to go to school, or work, but others do,” says Po Lee, a courier for a jewellery company. “It’s OK if you come out and march all together but don’t affect business and government operations.”


Dividing public opinion

Government offices on Queensway near Pacific Place have shut the gates even before any large crowds of protesters arrive.
Some protesters sit playing with their phones next to an escalator to the building, which is home to various departments including Legal Aid, Marriage Registration and Records Office, and the Official Receiver's Office.
One female protester, leader of the small group, according to the others, is unwilling to say how long they will stay there.



New site, same tactics

At about 4pm, the Immigration Department says most of the protesters outside its Wan Chai headquarters are gone, with about 10 demonstrators remaining.
It says they behaved in an orderly manner and did not cause any damage or prevent people from accessing immigration-related services.
The department emphasises its respect for the right of the public to express freedom of speech, but hopes protests will be conducted in a peaceful and rational manner.


Drifting away

This is the scene on Harcourt Road near the Admiralty Centre at around 4.30pm.



Harcourt Road quiet 

Residents and visitors have mixed feeling about the protests, as renewing passports and visas has become a bigger chore. Most eventually make it into Immigration Tower. “You are pursuing a glorious cause, but affecting me!” one lady shouts at protesters.
A woman, Ms Chan, says she is trying to get a new SAR passport, but has been held up for few minutes at the building entrance. “They are affecting people’s livelihood, is this good?” Chan says, adding she does not agree with opponents of the bill.
Some are more tolerant. Sam, from Iran, says she has had no problem entering the building. “I support what they are doing,” she says.


Two sides to the story

Ronald Tam, 27, an office worker at an insurance company, who took a day off to join the sit-in on Harcourt Road, says he is ready to join more civil disobedience activities tomorrow.
“I have heard about the 'be water my friend' strategy, but I am not really certain of its meaning," he says. "I understand it as protesting in a flexible way, and not just to occupy only one or two certain spot, because unless we have a mass number of people like we did on June 12, we will very easily be targeted, and it will not have that big of an impact.
“But if we go to places with symbolic meaning, like police and government related premises, it will affect their operations and affect them in a certain way, and they will have to respond. But I don’t think it’s a good idea to protest in MTR stations where it would affect people’s daily lives."


Ready to join a protest with meaning

The crowd erupts into cheers as protesters jam doors of the Wan Chai district police headquarters with umbrellas and a broom while securing the metal handles with cable ties. Officers inside observe but leave the protesters to it.



Brush with the law

Dozens of young protesters are seen sitting around at Lockhart Road Playground. 




Playground gathering

The Post is told staff at the Inland Revenue Department were asked to leave their offices at the Revenue Tower in Wan Chai around 2.30pm, after protesters surrounded the building. Civil servants at the Transport Department and the Immigration Department whose offices are located in Immigration Tower in Wan Chai, were asked to go home at 3 pm.
"We were told to home office," says a civil servant who works in Revenue Tower. A civil servant based in Immigration Tower says. "I feel helpless about the situation. There is nothing much we could do to help."


Feeling helpless

Assistant commissioner of police, Patrick Kwok Pak-chung, who is the Hong Kong Island regional commander, was sent to negotiate with protesters outside police headquarters in Wan Chai. It didn't work.


Trying to talk

The Civil Human Rights Front announces a rally on Wednesday to "deal another blow" to Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor ahead of the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan.
It echoes calls online to put pressure on the Hong Kong and Chinese government by raising awareness of the extradition bill at an international level.
The rally will be held at Edinburgh Place in Central at 8pm.


Raising global awareness

Italian wine importer Marco, a Hong Kong resident for more than 40 years, has not been able to file his firm's annual return with the Companies Registry at Queensway government offices.
“Nothing serious, I can do it on Monday,” he says. “I can tell Hong Kong people are united, and it’s difficult because Beijing doesn’t care.”
Marco says he understands the anxiety of protesters and the public at large, and that Beijing should honour its promise that Hong Kong's way of life will remain unchanged for 50 years.



Not fussed by inconvenience

Council Front lawmaker Claudia Mo Man-ching says today's protesters are acting of their own free will, and were not being directed by anyone.
"We hope the government can come out to speak with student representatives, as the situation is at a stalemate," Mo says.
The lawmaker claims the government told police to show restraint and not to use force against peaceful protesters. Mo also says Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor should suggest to Beijing it restart Hong Kong's political reform, and implement universal suffrage without screening candidates.
