On Aug. 12, 2019, thousands of anti-government protesters gathered in one of the busiest airports in Asia, canceling almost 200 flights. Now, several weeks later, Hong Kong is still facing a major political crisis as repeated street protests and mass demonstrations against a controversial law take place.
There have been mass protests in Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region of China, that aim to prevent the introduction of a controversial bill that the Hong Kong government proposed: the Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation amendment bill. This new amendment regards extradition, a term used to typically describe an individual accused or convicted of committing a crime being physically transferred to another jurisdiction. Specifically, this bill pertains to transferring accused individuals to Taiwan and mainland China, where the justice system is not as transparent. As a result, widespread criticism and disapproval from the public and media ignited as some individuals feared that this marked the beginning of the erosion of Hong Kong’s legal system, public safety, business climate, and tourist industry. Though Hong Kong technically belongs to China, it is ruled under a policy known as “one country, two systems,” which gives Hong Kong more autonomy. The territory has its own currency, political system, and cultural identity, making many Hong Kongers feel that they are an independent group.
One particular issue revolves around extraditions between Hong Kong and Mainland China, as many fear that China may use the extradition bill as a means to detain those from Hong Kong who have publicly expressed resentment toward the Chinese government. In addition, the new bill would make it easier for China to request trials of people who have previously entered the country and faced conflict with the mainland. These individuals would then be expected to return to China in order to stand trial under the extradition law, which creates tension since the two legal systems are different. The disparities between China and Hong Kong’s legal and justice systems is the core of this issue, as mainland China is much less transparent about how it handles legal cases and formulates decisions, which leads to concerns among the public.
The protesters currently have five main demands, according to Vox. First, they want the government to withdraw the extradition bill. They also request that the government not label the protests as “riots,” as this term carries more violent connotations and gives the police force room to use more harmful tactics against otherwise peaceful protestors. Third, the protesters request that anyone arrested while protesting be released and have their charges dropped, and that the government look more closely at the Hong Kong police’s tactics. Their fifth demand is for universal suffrage, as the people of Hong Kong strongly wish to be able to choose their leaders democratically and through a fair vote. Hong Kong currently follows a Basic Law, which entails the right to protest, free press, and freedom of speech, but recently, China has been encroaching on Hong Kong’s rights and making it more difficult for the government of Hong Kong to build its own democracy.
Protests have been ongoing since the beginning of March of this year, and in May the Hong Kong government decided to adjust the terms of the bill following high protest activity. However, protests escalated through June, with over a million people peacefully protesting the bill on June 9 as Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam strived to finally push the legislation into practice, according to Vox.
Currently, the bill has been suspended and not completely withdrawn from the legislative process, and thus protests are still ongoing. According to NPR, Hua Chunying, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said “The recent protests and demonstrations in Hong Kong have turned into radical violent behaviors that seriously violate the law, undermine security and social order in Hong Kong and endanger local people’s safety, property and normal life.”
Eventually, the protesters began to target Hong Kong’s international airport because they viewed it as a safe space for protests away from streets that were typically filled with police officers and violence. In addition, it is the eighth busiest airport in the world, making it a prime location for advocacy and reaching across international waters. Furthermore, protesters have been wearing surgical masks and wielding umbrellas as a way to protect themselves from police cameras as well as the use of pepper spray or tear gas in police attempts to break up crowds of people. According to the New York Times, during the period of violence, protestors have managed to storm government offices, prevented the use of public transportation, and defaced symbols of China’s authority.
On Sept. 4, Lam stated that she would formally withdraw the extradition bill and put an end to all of the disorder. However, it is unclear as to whether or not this decision will end all the protests, as many are now unsatisfied with other aspects of the government and have continuing complaints. With Oct. 1 being the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, it was one of the most chaotic days of the four-month period, with over 180 Hong Kong protesters arrested in a single day and an 18-year-old man shot by the police in the first instance of escalated violence.