'Nearly 2 million' people take to streets in Hong Kong over extradition bill
- 5 years ago
Huge protests continue in Hong Kong despite the island's leader Carrie Lam issuing an apology for her handling of a highly-controversial extradition bill.
Protest organizers say almost 2-million people took to the streets on Sunday to demand Lam's resignation and the complete and final withdrawal of the bill.
Our Ko Roon-hee reports.
Hong Kong protesters dressed in black continue to demand the full and final withdrawal of the bill that would allow its citizens to be sent to mainland China for trial.
According to numbers estimated by the Leaders of the Civil Human Rights Front, the organizers of the protests, almost three out of ten people in Hong Kong participated on Sunday... which marks the city state's largest protest since 1989.
Hong Kong police put their official estimate of the crowd size at 338-thousand.
"I want the government to withdraw the bill, not just suspend. I'm not satisfied with this and that's why I keep coming out (to protest)."
The protests continued despite Chief Executive Carrie Lam not only suspending the bill but also issuing an apology over the government's handling of it.
On Sunday, the Hong Kong government released a statement saying Lam "pledged to adopt a most sincere and humble attitude to accept criticisms and make improvements in serving the public."
"I feel deep sorrow and regret that the deficiencies in our work and various other factors have stirred up substantial controversies and dispute in society following the relatively calm periods of the past two years, disappointing many people.
However, protests are expected to continue...as Hong Kongers are demanding Lam step down and are furious over the way police handled the demonstration.
This comes as U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday that President Trump would raise the issue of human rights in Hong Kong...at a potential meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Japan set for later this month.
Ko Roon-hee, Arirang News.
Protest organizers say almost 2-million people took to the streets on Sunday to demand Lam's resignation and the complete and final withdrawal of the bill.
Our Ko Roon-hee reports.
Hong Kong protesters dressed in black continue to demand the full and final withdrawal of the bill that would allow its citizens to be sent to mainland China for trial.
According to numbers estimated by the Leaders of the Civil Human Rights Front, the organizers of the protests, almost three out of ten people in Hong Kong participated on Sunday... which marks the city state's largest protest since 1989.
Hong Kong police put their official estimate of the crowd size at 338-thousand.
"I want the government to withdraw the bill, not just suspend. I'm not satisfied with this and that's why I keep coming out (to protest)."
The protests continued despite Chief Executive Carrie Lam not only suspending the bill but also issuing an apology over the government's handling of it.
On Sunday, the Hong Kong government released a statement saying Lam "pledged to adopt a most sincere and humble attitude to accept criticisms and make improvements in serving the public."
"I feel deep sorrow and regret that the deficiencies in our work and various other factors have stirred up substantial controversies and dispute in society following the relatively calm periods of the past two years, disappointing many people.
However, protests are expected to continue...as Hong Kongers are demanding Lam step down and are furious over the way police handled the demonstration.
This comes as U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday that President Trump would raise the issue of human rights in Hong Kong...at a potential meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Japan set for later this month.
Ko Roon-hee, Arirang News.