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| Hong Kong protest: debate on extradition bill delayed after tens of thousands block streets – live | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Tens of thousands of people gathered in Hong Kong on Wednesday ahead of a debate on the controversial extradition laws that was due to take place in Hong Kong’s legislative council at 11am. | |
| The debate was called off and rescheduled “to a later time to be determined” after protesters blocked streets near the legislative council’s chamber. | |
| Protesters remained on the streets, as protesters said they did not trust the government not to call the debate as soon as the roads were cleared of protesters. | |
| Earlier in the day police in riot gear, armed with rifles, used water cannons and pepper spray to disperse protesters, who in term sought to protect themselves using umbrellas, wrapping their skin in clingfilm and wearing helmets, masks and goggles. | |
| Protesters seemed to be preparing for a long protest, with first-aid tents and supply stations, set up around the city. | |
| Pro-democracy legislator Claudia Mo praised the people of Hong Kong after the vote was postponed, saying she had “underestimated people-power in Hong Kong”, but another lawmaker, Dennis Kwok warned that if the law passes: “I cannot imagine how they would channel their anger and disappointment in the Hong Kong and Central governments.” | |
| The protest was in response to proposed legislation that would allow people to be extradited from Hong Kong, which has been deeply unpopular due to fears that China would be able to use the laws to target political enemies. | |
| Huge protests over the weekend saw more than one million people – roughly one-seventh of Hong Kong’s population – take to the streets over the laws. | |
| Verna Yu, our reporter on the ground in Hong Kong, says the tone of today’s protest is very different to Sunday’s protest. Today, people are more on edge and more frightened, as today’s is not a sanctioned protest, whereas Sunday’s was. | |
| “People worry about being prosecuted by police for illegal gathering,” she says. “People on Sunday were happier being photographed as it was a sanctioned protest. People handing out supplies don’t want to say which organisations they are from.” | |
| More pics from the #hongkong protests from the amazing and indefatigable Verna Yu pic.twitter.com/AxH1hwRnJR | More pics from the #hongkong protests from the amazing and indefatigable Verna Yu pic.twitter.com/AxH1hwRnJR |
| Verna Yu confirms that people at train/metro stations in Hong Kong are buying paper tickets because they fear police will track them through their Octopus Card and know they were at the protest. Huge queues for tickets. pic.twitter.com/SRZOH4tRaP | Verna Yu confirms that people at train/metro stations in Hong Kong are buying paper tickets because they fear police will track them through their Octopus Card and know they were at the protest. Huge queues for tickets. pic.twitter.com/SRZOH4tRaP |
| Solidarity in Taiwan | Solidarity in Taiwan |
| Tsai Ing-wen, the president of Taiwan, has spoke out in solidarity with the people of Hong Kong. Posting a cartoon of herself at a protest on Instagram, Tsai wrote: | Tsai Ing-wen, the president of Taiwan, has spoke out in solidarity with the people of Hong Kong. Posting a cartoon of herself at a protest on Instagram, Tsai wrote: |
| “We see their thirst for human rights protection and democratic rule of law. We also see their persistence of reluctance to give up. This also inspires the younger generation of Taiwan.” | “We see their thirst for human rights protection and democratic rule of law. We also see their persistence of reluctance to give up. This also inspires the younger generation of Taiwan.” |
| Throughout the day, solidarity protests have been held in Taiwan, which also has a fraught history with the People’s Republic of China. | Throughout the day, solidarity protests have been held in Taiwan, which also has a fraught history with the People’s Republic of China. |
| Dennis Kwok, a member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council, sounded a dire warning about what might happen in Hong Kong if the controversial legislation, which many fear would allow political activists to be extradited to China, was passed. | Dennis Kwok, a member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council, sounded a dire warning about what might happen in Hong Kong if the controversial legislation, which many fear would allow political activists to be extradited to China, was passed. |
| “My hope is that the government and the pro-establishment camp are taking the time to reconsider the bill having seen another round of massive demonstration unequivocally demanding its withdrawal. | “My hope is that the government and the pro-establishment camp are taking the time to reconsider the bill having seen another round of massive demonstration unequivocally demanding its withdrawal. |
| “If the bill is put to vote, it will be passed, if Hong Kong people’s peaceful voices are neglected, I cannot imagine how they would channel their anger and disappointment in the Hong Kong and Central governments.” | “If the bill is put to vote, it will be passed, if Hong Kong people’s peaceful voices are neglected, I cannot imagine how they would channel their anger and disappointment in the Hong Kong and Central governments.” |
| Supply station reviving drop offs at Admiralty for the #HongKongProtests pic.twitter.com/1LJJWC1IPB | Supply station reviving drop offs at Admiralty for the #HongKongProtests pic.twitter.com/1LJJWC1IPB |
| Supply trolley pushing through with food, water, Womens hygiene products, and a bible. #hongkongprotests pic.twitter.com/vZ7jxKiDAk | Supply trolley pushing through with food, water, Womens hygiene products, and a bible. #hongkongprotests pic.twitter.com/vZ7jxKiDAk |
| Map of protests | Map of protests |
| Stepping outside admiralty station half a dozen people are handing out masks. A supply station is being stocked, with people bringing over cases of water bottles, towels, hard hats. | Stepping outside admiralty station half a dozen people are handing out masks. A supply station is being stocked, with people bringing over cases of water bottles, towels, hard hats. |
| Here on the edge of the crowd there’s a real sense of people helping each other. | Here on the edge of the crowd there’s a real sense of people helping each other. |
| Barricades have been turned into make shift ladders to help people climb over the road divider from one side to the other. They’ve taken over all six lanes. This part of Hong Kong is now a no go zone for traffic. Some Taxi drivers have given up for the day and gone home. No tourists can access the popular Victoria Peak. | Barricades have been turned into make shift ladders to help people climb over the road divider from one side to the other. They’ve taken over all six lanes. This part of Hong Kong is now a no go zone for traffic. Some Taxi drivers have given up for the day and gone home. No tourists can access the popular Victoria Peak. |
| Barricades have become makeshift ladders to get over the road divider at asdmiralty. It’s just started pouring. #HongKongProtests pic.twitter.com/GWKAq2m1pq | Barricades have become makeshift ladders to get over the road divider at asdmiralty. It’s just started pouring. #HongKongProtests pic.twitter.com/GWKAq2m1pq |
| Justin Lai and Carie Ching are helping to supply protesters with water and food, underneath one of the walkways at Admiralty. | Justin Lai and Carie Ching are helping to supply protesters with water and food, underneath one of the walkways at Admiralty. |
| They said they’re resting now but after lunch they will figure out how to help and get supplies to people further in around the LegCo building. | They said they’re resting now but after lunch they will figure out how to help and get supplies to people further in around the LegCo building. |
| They said they are here “to say no to the policy”. | They said they are here “to say no to the policy”. |
| While they’re aware debate was called off today, that’s not good enough. | While they’re aware debate was called off today, that’s not good enough. |
| “They didn’t cancel the discussion they just delay,” said Ching. | “They didn’t cancel the discussion they just delay,” said Ching. |
| “We will keep fighting, said Lai. | “We will keep fighting, said Lai. |
| Asked if this was like Occupy, and would they stay, they said yes. For as long as it takes. | Asked if this was like Occupy, and would they stay, they said yes. For as long as it takes. |
| The closer the line of police, the more on edge people are. There are more hard hats, more breathing and eye masks, and limbs wrapped in cling film to protect against pepper spray. | The closer the line of police, the more on edge people are. There are more hard hats, more breathing and eye masks, and limbs wrapped in cling film to protect against pepper spray. |
| A mess of barricades and road barriers and witches hats creates a loosely fortified barrier between protesters and police. | A mess of barricades and road barriers and witches hats creates a loosely fortified barrier between protesters and police. |
| One young woman, who doesn’t want to be named, sits on top, under an umbrella. | One young woman, who doesn’t want to be named, sits on top, under an umbrella. |
| “I feel like the police are being really calm but you would never know what there going to do next,” she said. “We have experienced something like this before, the umbrella revolution, and we want to prepare as much as possible... to protect ourselves.” | “I feel like the police are being really calm but you would never know what there going to do next,” she said. “We have experienced something like this before, the umbrella revolution, and we want to prepare as much as possible... to protect ourselves.” |
| Like many others I’ve spoken to, the delay of debate today is hopeful but not enough to convince her to leave. | Like many others I’ve spoken to, the delay of debate today is hopeful but not enough to convince her to leave. |
| “We’re intimidating them. We’re just waiting for a miracle... a lot of people feel like this is the last battle and we have to fight it. I just wish the government would listen. The government should work for the people not the other way around.” | “We’re intimidating them. We’re just waiting for a miracle... a lot of people feel like this is the last battle and we have to fight it. I just wish the government would listen. The government should work for the people not the other way around.” |
| Pro-democracy legislator Claudia Mo has addressed the crowds after leading them in chants of: “We are back!” | Pro-democracy legislator Claudia Mo has addressed the crowds after leading them in chants of: “We are back!” |
| Guys, lots of foreign media were asking this morning: ‘What is happening to Hong Kong? Do you think your Carrie Lam is going to scrap this very evil law, as you call it, at the end of the day?’ | Guys, lots of foreign media were asking this morning: ‘What is happening to Hong Kong? Do you think your Carrie Lam is going to scrap this very evil law, as you call it, at the end of the day?’ |
| And I said: ‘It looks unlikely because Carrie Lam is just some tiny puppet of Beijing. She does what her Beijing boss tells her to do. And Hong Kong is her second choice when it comes to her work, when it comes to her career.’ | And I said: ‘It looks unlikely because Carrie Lam is just some tiny puppet of Beijing. She does what her Beijing boss tells her to do. And Hong Kong is her second choice when it comes to her work, when it comes to her career.’ |
| But them, we all, myself included, we underestimated people-power in Hong Kong, in particular we underestimated the young people-power in Hong Kong and we thank you! | But them, we all, myself included, we underestimated people-power in Hong Kong, in particular we underestimated the young people-power in Hong Kong and we thank you! |
| Pro-democracy legislator Claudia Mo has addressed the crowds. “We are back!” She says. “We underestimated people-power in Beijing and we thank you!” pic.twitter.com/HjwOtaR1OB | Pro-democracy legislator Claudia Mo has addressed the crowds. “We are back!” She says. “We underestimated people-power in Beijing and we thank you!” pic.twitter.com/HjwOtaR1OB |
| Silence from China about protests | Silence from China about protests |
| On Wednesday, China was conspicuously quiet about the protests that had erupted overnight. | On Wednesday, China was conspicuously quiet about the protests that had erupted overnight. |
| State media like the People’s Daily and Xinhua made no mention of the protests, with their front pages featuring reports on official exchanges between China and Kyrgyzstan or the growth of the Chinese snack industry. Some social media platforms appeared to be censoring discussion of the demonstrations. | State media like the People’s Daily and Xinhua made no mention of the protests, with their front pages featuring reports on official exchanges between China and Kyrgyzstan or the growth of the Chinese snack industry. Some social media platforms appeared to be censoring discussion of the demonstrations. |
| Still, reports from Hong Kong are reaching those on the mainland. On the discussion forum Douban, users posted screenshots of foreign news articles about the demonstrations. By Wednesday afternoon, most of those posts and comments had been deleted. On Weibo, searches for “Hong Kong” or for the name of the extradition bill, turned up only results from state media accounts, suggesting censors had blocked results. | Still, reports from Hong Kong are reaching those on the mainland. On the discussion forum Douban, users posted screenshots of foreign news articles about the demonstrations. By Wednesday afternoon, most of those posts and comments had been deleted. On Weibo, searches for “Hong Kong” or for the name of the extradition bill, turned up only results from state media accounts, suggesting censors had blocked results. |
| Users reading the news expressed support, and acknowledge the history of civil protest in Hong Kong. In response to reports that police in Hong Kong have threatened to use force, one user said: “How dare they threaten to use force? Do they think the international community will stand by like they did in 1989?” said one user, referring to the military crackdown on unarmed protesters in Beijing on 3-4 June, 1989. | Users reading the news expressed support, and acknowledge the history of civil protest in Hong Kong. In response to reports that police in Hong Kong have threatened to use force, one user said: “How dare they threaten to use force? Do they think the international community will stand by like they did in 1989?” said one user, referring to the military crackdown on unarmed protesters in Beijing on 3-4 June, 1989. |
| Another wrote: “Some young mainland Chinese are too naive. I support Hong Kong people.” | Another wrote: “Some young mainland Chinese are too naive. I support Hong Kong people.” |