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| Hong Kong Protest Updates: Police and Protesters in Tense Standoff After Clashes | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Riot police turned downtown Hong Kong into a tear-gas covered battlefield as they pushed back against protesters who tried to storm Hong Kong’s Legislative Council. The protesters, angry at an extradition bill that would allow people to be sent to mainland China for trial, hurled bricks, bottles and umbrellas as they clashed with the police, as the demonstrations intensified on Wednesday afternoon. | |
| A line of protesters, many of them young people in black T-shirts, repeatedly rushed toward a ring of heavily armored police, only to be repelled by the officers who lashed out with blows, rubber bullets, beanbag rounds, pepper spray and tear gas. | A line of protesters, many of them young people in black T-shirts, repeatedly rushed toward a ring of heavily armored police, only to be repelled by the officers who lashed out with blows, rubber bullets, beanbag rounds, pepper spray and tear gas. |
| Only a thin metal barrier separated the two groups as the protesters’ front line slowly inched closer to the source of their anger — Hong Kong’s legislature. | Only a thin metal barrier separated the two groups as the protesters’ front line slowly inched closer to the source of their anger — Hong Kong’s legislature. |
| One police officer held a giant red sign warning protesters: “Stop charging or we will use force.” | One police officer held a giant red sign warning protesters: “Stop charging or we will use force.” |
| The police’s use of tear gas and nonlethal projectiles represented a turning point in their response to the demonstrations, and reflected the government’s determination to keep the territory’s legislature from being overrun by the people. | The police’s use of tear gas and nonlethal projectiles represented a turning point in their response to the demonstrations, and reflected the government’s determination to keep the territory’s legislature from being overrun by the people. |
| Five years ago, the use of tear gas by the police in an attempt to push back against a student democracy protest incited public fury that brought tens of thousands of people onto the streets. That turned into a sustained occupation of several commercial districts for several months in Hong Kong known as the Umbrella Movement, referring to the shield of choice used to fend off police pepper spray. | Five years ago, the use of tear gas by the police in an attempt to push back against a student democracy protest incited public fury that brought tens of thousands of people onto the streets. That turned into a sustained occupation of several commercial districts for several months in Hong Kong known as the Umbrella Movement, referring to the shield of choice used to fend off police pepper spray. |
| By late Wednesday afternoon, tear gas hung in the air in the city’s main financial and business district. A few office workers looked on as men with masks charged toward the Legislative Council, and the crowd cheered out support and warnings. | |
| So much tear gas was used that commuters waiting at nearby subway stations and people in shopping malls were coughing and tearing up, and many sought medical attention. | |
| Many of the city’s lawmakers, from both the pro-democracy camp that opposes the contentious extradition legislation at the heart of the protests and the pro-Beijing majority that supports it, failed to arrive at the council for a scheduled debate on Wednesday morning, after protesters surrounded the complex and blocked traffic. | Many of the city’s lawmakers, from both the pro-democracy camp that opposes the contentious extradition legislation at the heart of the protests and the pro-Beijing majority that supports it, failed to arrive at the council for a scheduled debate on Wednesday morning, after protesters surrounded the complex and blocked traffic. |
| Hong Kong’s commissioner of police described Wednesday’s demonstrations as “riots” and called on protesters to go home, warning that those who refused “might regret your decision for your entire life.” | Hong Kong’s commissioner of police described Wednesday’s demonstrations as “riots” and called on protesters to go home, warning that those who refused “might regret your decision for your entire life.” |
| The remarks by Commissioner Stephen Lo at a news conference came moments after protesters stormed police barricades outside the Legislative Council, leading to the use of tear gas, beanbag rounds and rubber bullets. | |
| “If they are peaceful protesters, please leave,” Mr. Lo said. “If they are violent protesters, then please think twice because you might regret your decision for the entire life.” | “If they are peaceful protesters, please leave,” Mr. Lo said. “If they are violent protesters, then please think twice because you might regret your decision for the entire life.” |
| Mr. Lo said his officers had peacefully surrounded the legislature complex but would not permit demonstrators from crossing over the barricade, adding that it was the demonstrators who were the first to use force. | Mr. Lo said his officers had peacefully surrounded the legislature complex but would not permit demonstrators from crossing over the barricade, adding that it was the demonstrators who were the first to use force. |
| “In terms of using violence, we have guidelines that we are following,” he said, adding that “I think we should all remember who initially started the protest.” | “In terms of using violence, we have guidelines that we are following,” he said, adding that “I think we should all remember who initially started the protest.” |
| The commissioner’s remarks echoed those of an administration official earlier in the day. | The commissioner’s remarks echoed those of an administration official earlier in the day. |
| The administration’s chief secretary urged demonstrators to disperse after tens of thousands of protesting residents forced the body to postpone a debate scheduled for the morning. | The administration’s chief secretary urged demonstrators to disperse after tens of thousands of protesting residents forced the body to postpone a debate scheduled for the morning. |
| “We suggest that citizens who are occupying the streets should leave immediately so that traffic could resume as soon as possible,” said Matthew Cheung, the chief secretary. | “We suggest that citizens who are occupying the streets should leave immediately so that traffic could resume as soon as possible,” said Matthew Cheung, the chief secretary. |
| Small businesses across Hong Kong closed their shops in solidarity with the protesters. A hotel chain offered rooms where protesters could shower and rest free of charge. At some other companies, managers let employees leave work to join the demonstrations, and union leaders told members to find creative ways to participate without calling for a strike, that included the drivers at one bus company pledging to drive below the speed limit. | Small businesses across Hong Kong closed their shops in solidarity with the protesters. A hotel chain offered rooms where protesters could shower and rest free of charge. At some other companies, managers let employees leave work to join the demonstrations, and union leaders told members to find creative ways to participate without calling for a strike, that included the drivers at one bus company pledging to drive below the speed limit. |
| A teachers’ union encouraged members to stage walkouts and explain to young students what was happening. “This is a critical moment for Hong Kong,” the Hong Kong Professional Teachers Union said in a post on Facebook. “Educators have to uphold the responsibility of protecting conscience, and the sense of right and wrong. The union understands how striking would affect the operations of schools and sincerely asks the schools to understand.” | |
| But Hong Kong’s most powerful voices, those of the large international banks that have long made the city a global financial hub have remained largely quiet on the issue of extradition. | But Hong Kong’s most powerful voices, those of the large international banks that have long made the city a global financial hub have remained largely quiet on the issue of extradition. |
| “The extradition bill is worrying because for business it starts to call into question whether there is now a blurred line between politics and business in a city that views itself as a commercial capital that puts business first,” said Tara Joseph, the president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. | “The extradition bill is worrying because for business it starts to call into question whether there is now a blurred line between politics and business in a city that views itself as a commercial capital that puts business first,” said Tara Joseph, the president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. |
| While the international business community has mainly worried behind boardroom doors, more than a thousand small local Hong Kong businesses closed their doors on Wednesday. | While the international business community has mainly worried behind boardroom doors, more than a thousand small local Hong Kong businesses closed their doors on Wednesday. |
| On Instagram hundreds of coffee shops, restaurants and other businesses posted pictures with the hashtag “#612strike.” One online floral company called Floraholic wrote, “Hong Kong is sick, let’s take a day off for some rest! #NoChinaExtradition #612罷市.” | On Instagram hundreds of coffee shops, restaurants and other businesses posted pictures with the hashtag “#612strike.” One online floral company called Floraholic wrote, “Hong Kong is sick, let’s take a day off for some rest! #NoChinaExtradition #612罷市.” |
| “Striking is the only action we could take,” said Yanki Lam, the owner of a shop in the Kowloon district of the city. | “Striking is the only action we could take,” said Yanki Lam, the owner of a shop in the Kowloon district of the city. |
| Lawmakers are likely to vote on the bill by the end of next week, the head of Hong Kong’s legislature said, despite the mass protests, which began on Sunday. | |
| The plan, announced on Tuesday by the chairman of the Legislative Council, Andrew Leung, further inflamed tensions in Hong Kong after Sunday saw one of the largest protests in the semiautonomous Chinese territory’s recent history. | The plan, announced on Tuesday by the chairman of the Legislative Council, Andrew Leung, further inflamed tensions in Hong Kong after Sunday saw one of the largest protests in the semiautonomous Chinese territory’s recent history. |
| Mr. Leung said that the bill could go to a vote on June 20 after about 60 hours of debate, adding “the case is pressing and has to be handled as soon as possible.” The measure is likely to pass in the local legislature, where pro-Beijing lawmakers hold 43 of 70 seats. | Mr. Leung said that the bill could go to a vote on June 20 after about 60 hours of debate, adding “the case is pressing and has to be handled as soon as possible.” The measure is likely to pass in the local legislature, where pro-Beijing lawmakers hold 43 of 70 seats. |
| Opposition lawmakers had expected the vote to take place around the end of the month, based on a regular schedule of meetings. The legislative chairman’s decision to add more meetings in the coming days in order to bring the date of the vote forward quickly drew criticism. Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s chief executive, said on Monday that the bill would be pushed through “out of our clear conscience, and our commitment to Hong Kong.” | Opposition lawmakers had expected the vote to take place around the end of the month, based on a regular schedule of meetings. The legislative chairman’s decision to add more meetings in the coming days in order to bring the date of the vote forward quickly drew criticism. Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s chief executive, said on Monday that the bill would be pushed through “out of our clear conscience, and our commitment to Hong Kong.” |
| The bill would allow Hong Kong to detain and transfer people wanted in countries and territories with which it has no formal extradition agreements, including Taiwan and the Chinese mainland. | The bill would allow Hong Kong to detain and transfer people wanted in countries and territories with which it has no formal extradition agreements, including Taiwan and the Chinese mainland. |
| Hong Kong’s chief executive, Carrie Lam, has said the new law is urgently needed to prosecute a Hong Kong man who is wanted in Taiwan for the murder of his girlfriend. But the authorities in Taiwan, a self-governed island claimed by Beijing, say they would not agree to the extradition arrangement because it would treat Taiwan as part of China. | Hong Kong’s chief executive, Carrie Lam, has said the new law is urgently needed to prosecute a Hong Kong man who is wanted in Taiwan for the murder of his girlfriend. But the authorities in Taiwan, a self-governed island claimed by Beijing, say they would not agree to the extradition arrangement because it would treat Taiwan as part of China. |
| Critics contend that the law would allow virtually anyone in the city to be picked up and put on trial in mainland China, where judges must follow the orders of the Communist Party. They fear the new law would not just target criminals but political activists as well. | Critics contend that the law would allow virtually anyone in the city to be picked up and put on trial in mainland China, where judges must follow the orders of the Communist Party. They fear the new law would not just target criminals but political activists as well. |
| The extradition plan applies to 37 crimes. That excludes political ones, but critics fear the legislation would essentially legalize the sort of abductions to the mainland that have taken place in Hong Kong in recent years. The mainland Chinese authorities are typically not permitted to operate in the semiautonomous territory. | The extradition plan applies to 37 crimes. That excludes political ones, but critics fear the legislation would essentially legalize the sort of abductions to the mainland that have taken place in Hong Kong in recent years. The mainland Chinese authorities are typically not permitted to operate in the semiautonomous territory. |
| Mike Ives, Tiffany May, Katherine Li, Alexandra Stevenson, Russell Goldman, Gillian Wong and Daniel Victor contributed reporting. | Mike Ives, Tiffany May, Katherine Li, Alexandra Stevenson, Russell Goldman, Gillian Wong and Daniel Victor contributed reporting. |