Fresh protests erupt as Hong Kong braces for annual rally to mark handover

Source: Reuters

World News
June 30, 2019 / 6:25 PM / Updated 34 minutes ago

Anne Marie Roantree 4 Min Read

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hundreds of protesters faced off with riot police early on Monday, the anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule, ahead of an annual rally that is expected to draw huge crowds amid widespread anger over a controversial extradition bill.

Police fired pepper spray to disperse the demonstrators in the latest protests over the extradition bill, which would allow people to be sent to mainland China for trial in courts controlled by the Communist Party.

The bill, which the government was forced to suspend after the largest and most violent protests in decades, has plunged the Asian financial center into political turmoil.

Embattled Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam appeared in public for the first time in more than 10 days to officiate at a flag-raising ceremony to mark the 22nd anniversary of the city’s handover to Beijing under a deal to ensure its autonomy.

Additional reporting by Jessie Pang, Thomas Peters, Joyce Zhou and Felix Tam,; Editing by Robert Birsel and Paul Tait

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-extradition/fresh-protests-erupt-as-hong-kong-braces-for-annual-rally-to-mark-handover-idUSKCN1TV0YE