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| Hong Kong protests: government leader Carrie Lam condemns 'blatant riot' | Hong Kong protests: government leader Carrie Lam condemns 'blatant riot' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Hong Kong’s chief executive Carrie Lam has condemned protesters for “dangerous and life threatening acts” during a mass demonstration over a controversial bill that allows extradition to the Chinese mainland. | Hong Kong’s chief executive Carrie Lam has condemned protesters for “dangerous and life threatening acts” during a mass demonstration over a controversial bill that allows extradition to the Chinese mainland. |
| Lam, who is championing the proposed law’s passage, noted that some young people in the crowd had expressed their views peacefully, but said the protest had devolved into a “blatant, organised riot.” | |
| “Since this afternoon, some people have resorted to dangerous, or even potentially fatal, acts. These include arson, using sharpened iron bars and hurling bricks to attack police officers, as well as destroying public facilities,” she said. | “Since this afternoon, some people have resorted to dangerous, or even potentially fatal, acts. These include arson, using sharpened iron bars and hurling bricks to attack police officers, as well as destroying public facilities,” she said. |
| Her comments came after riot police used rubber bullets, batons and teargas against people in Hong Kong protesting against the bill that would tighten Beijing’s grip on the semi-autonomous territory. | Her comments came after riot police used rubber bullets, batons and teargas against people in Hong Kong protesting against the bill that would tighten Beijing’s grip on the semi-autonomous territory. |
| Unable to drive away the crowds paralysing the central business district on Wednesday, authorities were forced to delay a debate over the bill. A new date for the debate has not been set. | Unable to drive away the crowds paralysing the central business district on Wednesday, authorities were forced to delay a debate over the bill. A new date for the debate has not been set. |
| On Thursday, Chinese state media said in editorials the protests were “hammering” the city’s reputation, with outbreaks of “lawlessness” undermining the rule of law. | |
| The English-language China Daily said the new amendments were in line with international conventions but “the opposition camp and its foreign masters seem willing to oppose it for their own purposes at the expense of the city’s rule of law, public safety and justice”. | |
| “It is lawlessness that will hurt Hong Kong, not the proposed amendments to its fugitive law,” it said. | |
| The state-owned tabloid The Global Times blamed “radical opposition forces” and “the western forces behind them” for hyping up and politicising the amendments. “Playing with uncontrolled street politics is to push Hong Kong to backwardness and disturbance,” it said. “This is not a wise direction for Hong Kong.” | |
| Protesters worry Beijing will exploit the law to extradite political opponents and activists to the mainland, where they would be subject to a Chinese justice system criticised by human rights activists. | Protesters worry Beijing will exploit the law to extradite political opponents and activists to the mainland, where they would be subject to a Chinese justice system criticised by human rights activists. |
| The violence marked an escalation in the biggest political crisis to hit the city in years. After the police crackdown, a group of protesters made a failed attempt to storm government offices. In several cases, crowds charged at armed officers, throwing bottles and other debris. | The violence marked an escalation in the biggest political crisis to hit the city in years. After the police crackdown, a group of protesters made a failed attempt to storm government offices. In several cases, crowds charged at armed officers, throwing bottles and other debris. |
| Hospital authorities told broadcaster RTHK that 72 people had been taken to hospital and two were in a serious condition. Pictures and videos on social media appeared to show people wounded by rubber bullets or bean-bag rounds, which police fired from shotguns. | Hospital authorities told broadcaster RTHK that 72 people had been taken to hospital and two were in a serious condition. Pictures and videos on social media appeared to show people wounded by rubber bullets or bean-bag rounds, which police fired from shotguns. |
| Police chief Stephen Lo defended his officers, saying they had shown restraint until “mobsters” tried to storm parliament. | Police chief Stephen Lo defended his officers, saying they had shown restraint until “mobsters” tried to storm parliament. |
| Street protesters dig in for Hong Kong's 'last battle' | Street protesters dig in for Hong Kong's 'last battle' |
| “These violent protesters kept charging at our line of defence, and used very dangerous weapons, including ... throwing metal barricades at us and throwing bricks,” he said. | “These violent protesters kept charging at our line of defence, and used very dangerous weapons, including ... throwing metal barricades at us and throwing bricks,” he said. |
| But Amnesty International said police “took advantage of the violent acts of a small minority as a pretext to use excessive force against the vast majority of peaceful protesters.” | But Amnesty International said police “took advantage of the violent acts of a small minority as a pretext to use excessive force against the vast majority of peaceful protesters.” |
| By Thursday morning the centre of the city was quiet as a thunderstorm rolled in and many roads had reopened. But activists have vowed to keep up the pressure. College student Louis Wong said the demonstrations had so far been a success. | |
| “This is a public space and the police have no right to block us from staying here,” Wong said. “We’ll stay until the government drops this law and (Chinese President) Xi Jinping gives up on trying to turn Hong Kong into just another city in China like Beijing and Shanghai.” | “This is a public space and the police have no right to block us from staying here,” Wong said. “We’ll stay until the government drops this law and (Chinese President) Xi Jinping gives up on trying to turn Hong Kong into just another city in China like Beijing and Shanghai.” |
| Lam said she had never “felt guilty” over the issue and believed she was doing the right thing. She said she felt “worried and sad” about the young protesters. | Lam said she had never “felt guilty” over the issue and believed she was doing the right thing. She said she felt “worried and sad” about the young protesters. |
| “To use a metaphor, I’m a mother too, I have two sons,” she said. “If I let him have his way every time my son acted like that, such as when he didn’t want to study, things might be OK between us in the short term. | “To use a metaphor, I’m a mother too, I have two sons,” she said. “If I let him have his way every time my son acted like that, such as when he didn’t want to study, things might be OK between us in the short term. |
| “But if I indulge his wayward behaviour, he might regret it when he grows up. He will then ask me: ‘Mum, why didn’t you call me up on that back then?’” | “But if I indulge his wayward behaviour, he might regret it when he grows up. He will then ask me: ‘Mum, why didn’t you call me up on that back then?’” |
| In an interview with Hong Kong broadcaster TVB, Lam denied she was “selling out” the city. | In an interview with Hong Kong broadcaster TVB, Lam denied she was “selling out” the city. |
| “It’s time to let lawmakers with different opinions express their views under the legislative process,” she said. “On whether to retract or push it through ... our consideration is this: There is no doubt this issue is controversial. Explanation and dialogue are useful but perhaps that has not entirely dispelled worries.” | “It’s time to let lawmakers with different opinions express their views under the legislative process,” she said. “On whether to retract or push it through ... our consideration is this: There is no doubt this issue is controversial. Explanation and dialogue are useful but perhaps that has not entirely dispelled worries.” |
| How are you being affected by the Hong Kong protests? | How are you being affected by the Hong Kong protests? |
| Earlier on Thursday, two dozen protesters were still hanging on. Some were starting to clean up plastic water bottles, face masks, zip ties and other remnants of the protests left behind after police cleared most occupied areas. Others were sitting by an office building, smoking and keeping out of the rain. People handed out youtiao, a churro like breakfast food. Dozens of police vans were parked around central Hong Kong with officers sleeping inside, eating or looking at their phones. | |
| Arthur Lau, 24, a first aid volunteer still stood at alert, staring down a group of police separated from the protesters by a makeshift barricade. He said he had been there for three or four hours already since the group retreated from areas around the government complex. | Arthur Lau, 24, a first aid volunteer still stood at alert, staring down a group of police separated from the protesters by a makeshift barricade. He said he had been there for three or four hours already since the group retreated from areas around the government complex. |
| “If they pass this law, we won’t be able to protest anymore. This is our last freedom,” he said. Lau says other demonstrators have promised to come back tomorrow. | “If they pass this law, we won’t be able to protest anymore. This is our last freedom,” he said. Lau says other demonstrators have promised to come back tomorrow. |
| “I don’t want to retreat. If we retreat we won’t come back. I’ll stay until the others come.” | “I don’t want to retreat. If we retreat we won’t come back. I’ll stay until the others come.” |
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