Hong Kong: Thousands of people protested in Hong Kong on Sunday against a controversial bill that could allow “fugitives” to be extradited to China. Victoria Park, where the protesters gathered, was packed for several hours and became a sea of white — the colour chosen for the action — and smatterings of yellow that came from umbrellas, a pro-democracy symbol since the 2014 movement known as the “Umbrella Revolution”, reports Efe news.
The new law, which was proposed in February and the final vote on which is expected sometime in July, would allow the Hong Kong chief executive and courts to process extradition requests of countries with which the former British colony does not have a formal transfer agreement, including mainland China, Taiwan and Macao, without legislative supervision.
In theory, courts would handle cases individually and could use veto powers to block extraditions, and the HK executive says the text aims to cover a legal vacuum. Roads towards the park as well the nearby subway stations were jam-packed with people. A protester told Efe should the bill become law, something that could happen next month, Hong Kong would lose its independence to Beijing, and it could affect its local economy negatively.
“It’s our last chance to defend our beautiful country,” she said, emphasising the importance of this protest, the first one she has taken part in since June 4, 1989, held in solidarity with the students killed on Tiananmen Square in Beijing.
