Clashes broke out hours after tens of thousands of people seized key arteries in the morning rush hour and surrounded the city's parliament.
Protesters react after police fired tear gas during a rally against a controversial extradition law proposal in Hong Kong on June 12, 2019. Picture: Anthony WALLACE / AFP
Clashes broke out hours after tens of thousands of people seized key arteries in the morning rush hour and surrounded the city’s parliament, forcing lawmakers to postpone a debate on the proposed law.Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, who is championing the law’s passage, described the protests as “organised riots” and called for calm to be restored.
Police earlier used tear gas, rubber bullets and batons to battle crowds of black-clad demonstrators — most of them young people and students — demanding authorities scrap the Beijing-backed law. Protesters run after police fired tear gas during a rally against a controversial extradition law proposal outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong on June 12, 2019. Picture: Philip FONG / AFP
The proposed law would allow Hong Kong to send suspects to other jurisdictions around the world — including China. Opposition to the bill has united an unusually wide cross-section of the city, from influential businessmen and lawyers, to religious groups, student unions and workers. Police chief Stephen Lo defended his officers, saying they had shown restraint until “mobsters” tried to storm parliament.
Authorities are determined to have the law on the books as soon as possible but protesters have vowed to keep hitting the streets until the bill is shelved.
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