In a fresh display of defiance against the contentious extradition bill, protesters who had camped overnight at Tamar Park in Hong Kong began stopping traffic from accessing the legislature on Wednesday morning, as the government’s proposal returns to a full council meeting, Trend reports citing South China Morning Post.
The protesters, mostly young people, had arrived as early as Tuesday night, with some clashing verbally with police over the force’s heavy presence. Many have skipped work or class to join, in response to numerous online calls for strikes.
On Sunday, a historic march turned roads along Causeway Bay to Admiralty into a sea of people as organisers claimed 1.03 million took part. Police estimated attendance peaked at 240,000.
The mass march ended in chaos as scuffles between police and radicals broke out, spilling over into the early hours of Monday.
Despite mounting pressure and death threats, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has stood firm, insisting that the bill will be passed as soon as possible, with a final vote expected as early as next Thursday. Lam has insisted that the legislation is needed to plug legal loopholes and prevent Hong Kong from becoming a haven for fugitives.