Nearly 2 million people march through streets of Hong Kong

[dimsum]

Nearly 2 million people march through streets of Hong Kong to oppose extradition bill, organisers say.

Estimated turnout almost double the previous week's march with almost 30 per cent of Hongkongers thought to have joined.

Police say figure was 338,000 at its peak but source admits it should be more as only those on the original route were counted.

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3014695/sea-black-hong-kong-will-march-against-suspended?fbclid=IwAR0BPHBlPLgDl4BFH_JF2ZKGpHfOSMWjxoTx042eowAYvyIn0c4vdJrcrHI

 

[tomahawk6]

It will be interesting to see how this will play out. The commies cant lose face. So will we see the tanks roll in or will they roll back their proposed policy of extraditing criminals to the mainland ?

 

[mariomike]

One thing about the good people of Hong Kong stands out. When someone needs help, even during a protest, they peacefully step aside. 
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/ny-20190616-7ox3jjv4rje7na6ozyhrulsffu-story.html?outputType=amp&__twitter_impression=true

 

[dimsum]

'The bill is dead': Hong Kong leader declares extradition legislation that sparked mass protests a 'total failure'

The crisis over the extradition bill has been the biggest challenge Beijing has faced to its rule in the territory in the 22 years since it re-gained control

HONG KONG — Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday the extradition bill that sparked the territory’s biggest political crisis in decades was dead, admitting that the government’s work on the bill had been a “total failure.”

The bill, which would have allowed people in Hong Kong to be sent to mainland China to face trial, sparked huge and at times violent street protests and plunged the former British colony into turmoil.

In mid-June, Lam responded to huge protests by suspending the bill, but on Tuesday she said “there are still lingering doubts about the government’s sincerity or worries whether the government will restart the process in the legislative council.”

“So, I reiterate here, there is no such plan, the bill is dead,” she told a news conference.

Lam’s declaration appeared to be a win for opponents of the bill, but it was not immediately clear if it would be enough to satisfy them.

Demonstrators have also called for Lam to resign, for an independent investigation into police actions against protesters, and for the government to abandon the description of a violent protest on June 12 as a riot.

Hong Kong was returned to China from Britain in 1997 with the promise of a high degree of autonomy, but in recent years there has been growing concern about the erosion of those freedoms at the hands of Beijing.

The crisis over the extradition bill has been the biggest challenge Beijing has faced to its rule in the territory in the 22 years since it re-gained control over Hong Kong.

The planned bill triggered outrage across broad sections of Hong Kong society amid concerns it would threaten the much-cherished rule of law that underpins the city’s international financial status.

Lam’s appearance on Tuesday was her first since a rare pre-dawn news conference a week ago after protesters besieged and ransacked the legislative building in the heart of the city.

Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997 under a “one country, two systems” formula that allows freedoms not enjoyed in mainland China, including the right to protest and an independent judiciary.

Lawyers and rights groups say China’s justice system is marked by torture, forced confessions and arbitrary detention, claims that Beijing denies.

https://nationalpost.com/news/world/the-bill-is-dead-hong-kong-leader-declares-extradition-legislation-that-sparked-mass-protests-a-total-failure?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR3d8jw421V3iPYkom8bhBXKP514dFnqw2_ig1fQ_b2RbZAHJBtW_V-hEyk#Echobox=1562642532

 

[tomahawk6]

Did they come for the free dim sum or to be able to say they were there ? 

 

[The Bread Guy]

Well, now …

Chinese military can be deployed at Hong Kong’s request to contain protests, Beijing says
Radical protesters are challenging mainland government’s authority and principle of ‘one country, two systems’, defence spokesman says
Garrison Law gives Hong Kong option of asking for PLA’s help to maintain public order
South China Morning Post
Published: 11:44am, 24 Jul, 2019

The Chinese military has said that it can be deployed to Hong Kong to maintain social order at the request of the city’s government, adding that Sunday’s siege of the mainland government’s liaison office in the city was intolerable.

Reaction to the remarks by defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian has been mixed. Critics and a business representative said it was a red line warning, but officials from the city government and a military analyst said it did not mean plans were afoot to mobilise troops.

Wu echoed Tuesday’s state media reports by saying the vandalism of the central government liaison office in Hong Kong – after weeks of mass protests against the city’s extradition bill – was a challenge to the bottom line of the principle of “one country, two systems”.

“We are closely following the developments in Hong Kong, especially the violent attack against the central government liaison office by radicals on July 21,” Wu said at a briefing on Wednesday to introduce China’s new defence white paper.

“Some behaviour of the radical protesters is challenging the authority of the central government and the bottom line of one country, two systems. This is intolerable.”

Asked how the defence ministry would handle events in Hong Kong and independence forces, Wu said only that “Article 14 of the Garrison Law has clear stipulations”, without elaborating.

The law took effect on July 1, 1997, the date of the handover of Hong Kong from Britain to China. Article 14 states that the Hong Kong government – in accordance with the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution – can ask the central government for help from the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA’s) Hong Kong garrison for the maintenance of public order and disaster relief.

Should any such request by the Hong Kong government be approved, the garrison would send troops to carry out the task, then immediately return to their station.

A spokesman for the Hong Kong government said later on Wednesday that the city was fully capable of dealing with its own affairs and maintaining public order.

“There is no need to ask for assistance from the garrison,” he said ...

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