TAKE IT TO THE STREET

More Than 1 Million Protest Proposed Hong Kong Extradition Law

The proposed legislation means suspects in crimes could be sent to mainland China to face criminal justice.

Organizers say more than a million people took to the streets in Hong Kong on Sunday to protest a proposed law that would pave the way for criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China. Debate on the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance is set to begin in Hong Kong’s Legislative Council on Wednesday and could be passed into law by late June, according to Reuters. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam has tweaked the legislation but has refused to pull it. Those against the bill say that the Chinese court system does not allow for transparency or protection of those who might be wrongly accused. Chris Patten, the last top-ranking British official in Hong Kong, said the new law would “strike a terrible blow...against the rule of law, against Hong Kong’s stability and security, against Hong Kong’s position as a great international trading hub.” Protests against the bill are also scheduled in 26 cities around the world, including London, New York and Chicago.