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Hong Kong protest: Joshua Wong calls for HK leader Carrie Lam to resign Hong Kong protest: Joshua Wong calls for HK leader Carrie Lam to resign
(30 minutes later)
Hong Kong's most prominent student activist Joshua Wong has called for the resignation of leader Carrie Lam, after walking free from prison.Hong Kong's most prominent student activist Joshua Wong has called for the resignation of leader Carrie Lam, after walking free from prison.
Wong, 22, became the face of the 2014 pro-democracy protests which called for the city to pick its own leaders.Wong, 22, became the face of the 2014 pro-democracy protests which called for the city to pick its own leaders.
People in Hong Kong are again out on the streets, this time against a controversial bill which allows extradition to mainland China. People in Hong Kong are again out on the streets, this time against a controversial bill which would allow extradition to mainland China.
Observers say Wong will further rally crowds and increase pressure on Ms Lam. China has said it will continue to support Ms Lam.
Organisers say more than two million people rallied against it on Sunday, despite the bill being suspended by Ms Lam on Saturday. The police put the figure at 338,000. Organisers say more than two million people rallied against the extradition bill on Sunday, despite it being suspended. Police put the figure at 338,000.
Critics have said the legislation would expose people in Hong Kong to China's deeply flawed justice system and lead to further erosion of the city's judicial independence.Critics have said the legislation would expose people in Hong Kong to China's deeply flawed justice system and lead to further erosion of the city's judicial independence.
Much of the public anger has been directed at Ms Lam, who is pro-Beijing, and on Sunday she apologised for the controversy over the bill.Much of the public anger has been directed at Ms Lam, who is pro-Beijing, and on Sunday she apologised for the controversy over the bill.
After diminishing in numbers overnight, large groups of protesters were seen gathering on key roads near the government headquarters again on Monday. Organisers say protests will continue until the bill is scrapped altogether. After diminishing in numbers overnight, large groups of protesters gathered near the government headquarters again on Monday.
Demonstrators are pushing for the bill to be scrapped completely, for those jailed during the protests to be freed and for the resignation of Ms Lam.
Who is Joshua Wong?Who is Joshua Wong?
Wong, who received two separate prison sentences in 2017 and 2018 for his part in what became known as the Umbrella Movement, walked free on Monday after serving a reduced sentence of one month. Wong left prison on Monday after being jailed in May on contempt charges related to his involvement in the pro-democracy protests known as the Umbrella Movement.
Speaking to reporters outside the prison he said "[Carrie Lam] is no longer qualified to be Hong Kong's leader." Speaking outside the prison, he said "[Carrie Lam] is no longer qualified to be Hong Kong's leader".
"She must take the blame and resign, be held accountable and step down.""She must take the blame and resign, be held accountable and step down."
He also celebrated his new found freedom and called for the extradition bill to be withdrawn in a tweet on Monday. The Umbrella Movement began in 2014 as a reaction to a decision made by China that it would allow direct elections in Hong Kong in 2017, but only from a list of candidates pre-approved by Beijing.
The recent wave of protests in Hong Kong is reminiscent of the Umbrella Movement that took place in 2014.
It started in reaction to a decision made by China that it would allow direct elections in Hong Kong in 2017, but only from a list of candidates pre-approved by Beijing.
Wong and other student activists led the protests which saw thousands of people camp in the central business district for 79 days, bringing the city to a standstill.Wong and other student activists led the protests which saw thousands of people camp in the central business district for 79 days, bringing the city to a standstill.
The student activists were later convicted of unlawful assembly and jailed over an incident that helped trigger the mass protests.The student activists were later convicted of unlawful assembly and jailed over an incident that helped trigger the mass protests.
Four other pro-democracy activists, including university professors and a Baptist minister, also received sentences for their part in the protests.Four other pro-democracy activists, including university professors and a Baptist minister, also received sentences for their part in the protests.
Why are people taking to the streets? Why are people taking to the streets now?
Organisers say almost two million people turned up for mass protests across key areas of the city on Sunday. It would be the largest protest in Hong Kong's history if the numbers are confirmed. Protesters fear the extradition bill could bring Hong Kong more decisively under China's control.
On Sunday, organisers said two million turned out on the streets against the bill, which if confirmed would make it the largest protest in Hong Kong's history.
The protest was mainly peaceful, with police officers reportedly holding back to allow the throngs of people to slowly pass through the city.The protest was mainly peaceful, with police officers reportedly holding back to allow the throngs of people to slowly pass through the city.
This is in contrast with scenes at the last major demonstration on Wednesday, which saw clashes between protesters and police that injured dozens.This is in contrast with scenes at the last major demonstration on Wednesday, which saw clashes between protesters and police that injured dozens.
Police, who used tear gas and rubber bullets, have been accused of excessive force by some rights groups. Defending the bill. Hong Kong officials said its courts would have the final say as to whether to grant extradition requests.
There are fears that the extradition bill could bring Hong Kong more decisively under China's control. Ms Lam's government had also said suspects accused of political and religious crimes would not be extradited.
But Hong Kong officials said its courts would have the final say whether to grant extradition requests. Hong Kong has been part of China since 1997 under the "one country, two systems" principle, which allows it freedoms not seen on mainland China.
Ms Lam's government had also said suspects accused of political and religious crimes would not be extradited, insisting legally binding human rights safeguards would also be in place. Silence and censorship in Chinese media
What's the relationship between Hong Kong and China? By Kerry Allen, BBC Monitoring
Hong Kong was a British colony from 1841 until sovereignty was returned to China in 1997. For the first time on Monday, one English-language newspaper in mainland China has acknowledged that the week-long Hong Kong protests have been taking place.
It is now part of China under a "one country, two systems" principle, which ensures that it keeps its own judicial independence, its own legislature and economic system. However, the China Daily newspaper insists that the protests were small-scale, and were specifically against the US "interfering in Hong Kong affairs".
But though most people in Hong Kong are ethnic Chinese, the majority of them don't identify as Chinese. The years since handover have seen an increase in anti-mainland Chinese sentiment. The Beijing government is extremely sensitive about any protests, whether they are by two people, or two million people, as it sees activism about laws that the Communist Party supports as examples of dissent.
Hong Kong still enjoys freedoms not seen on mainland China - but critics say they are on the decline. Consequently, state media in Chinese language have avoided mentioning them altogether, and have only reported on the suspension of the bill, and the Communist Party's dissatisfaction towards it.
One protester said Hong Kong would "become another Chinese city if [the] bill is passed". Since last Sunday, government censors have ramped up online censorship of terms related to the protests, and continues to outright ban any pictures of protesters on the street.
Posts on the popular Sina Weibo microblog mentioning "Hong Kong" or "the Hong Kong government" have been consistently censored. And users of the popular WhatsApp-like WeChat have reported that pictures they have shared of the protests have been actively taken down.