Hong Kong extradition bill finally withdrawn, but protestors say it is only one of five demands
by Jordan Hilger, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam has finally withdrawn the controversial extradition bill that has riven the former British colony with protests since June.
“Too little, too late,” was the response of protest leader Joshua Wong to the government’s capitulation to one of five demands made by pro-democracy activists, among which are fully democratic elections, the release of over 1,000 arrested protestors, and investigations into police brutality.
The nixing of the bill is nevertheless a major victory for protestors, who saw it as a transparent power grab by Beijing that would allow the communist mainland to try those charged with a crime in semi-democratic Hong Kong in their own legal system.
Despite the bill’s demise, however, for many in the pro-democracy movement, the issue of Beijing’s control runs much deeper, a suspicion that seemed to be confirmed Monday when audio was released of the embattled Lam confessing she would quit her job if her hands weren’t tied.
Chinese state media threatened cryptically Monday that “the end is coming” for protests now in their 14th week.