Chaos Hits Hong Kong as Protesters Turn to Violence

The Hong Kong police have fired rubber bullets and tear gas at the demonstrators on Wednesday after the latter protested the latest extradition bill that would allow people to be sent to mainland China for trial.

RELATED:

Hong Kong: 'Occupy' Leaders Plead Not Guilty to Nuisance Charge

Tens of thousands of protesters had gathered peacefully in the Chinese-ruled city before tempers flared and demonstration turned to chaos, some charging police with umbrellas. Police warned them back, saying: “We will use force.”

Protesters “must stop the violence”, the police chief said, warning residents to stay away from the area.

The protesters, most of them young people dressed in black, had erected barricades as they prepared to hunker down for an extended occupation of the area, in scenes reminiscent of pro-democracy “Occupy” protests that gridlocked the former British colony in 2014.

“Didn’t we say at the end of the Umbrella movement we would be back?” pro-democracy lawmaker Claudia Mo said, referring to the name often used for the “Occupy” demonstrations, whose trademark was the yellow umbrella.

“Now we are back!” she said as supporters echoed her words. Others once again called for Lam to step down.

Opposition to the bill on Sunday triggered Hong Kong’s biggest political demonstration since its handover from British to Chinese rule in 1997 under a “once country, two systems” deal guaranteeing it special autonomy, including freedom of assembly, free press and independent judiciary.

But many accuse China of extensive meddling since, including obstruction of democratic reforms, interference with local elections and of being behind the disappearance of five Hong Kong-based booksellers, starting in 2015, who specialized in works critical of Chinese leaders.

Lam has vowed to press ahead with the legislation despite deep concerns in the Asian financial hub, including among business leaders, that it could undermine those freedoms and investor confidence and erode the city’s competitive advantages.

The government said debate on the bill that was due to take place in the city’s 70-seat Legislative Cuncil on Wednesday would be delayed until further notice. The legislature is controlled by a pro-Beijing majority.

“We won’t leave till they scrap the law,” said one young man wearing a black mask and gloves. “Carrie Lam has underestimated us. We won’t let her get away with this.”

Beijing again reiterated that the “one country, two systems” formula was best for maintaining long-term prosperity and stability.

“The practice of ‘one country, two systems’ in Hong Kong has achieved remarkable success. This is an undeniable objective fact,” Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman An Fengshan told a regular news briefing in Beijing.

China’s Foreign Ministry reiterated its support for the legislation.