HONG KONG – Hong Kong on Thursday (June 20) braced itself for an escalation and civil disobedience as the clock ticks towards a 5pm deadline for embattled leader Carrie Lam to respond to protesters who threatened more action unless she met their demands over a divisive extradition bill that had been suspended.

A message circulating on social media demanded Mrs Lam — who has twice apologised for her mishandling of the issue — completely scrap the Bill, withdraw characterisation of the protests against it as a “riot”, release those arrested following violence on the streets on June 12 and to drop all charges against them.

Student groups had on Wednesday said they would escalate matters if Mrs Lam did not meet their demands, but did not elaborate how.

They also called on fellow Hong Kongers to surround the government headquarters in Admiralty on Friday (June 21), and engage in acts of civil disobedience like disruption of train services.

The proposed extradition Bill, which would create a legal mechanism for fugitives to be handed over to several jurisdictions including mainland China, sparked waves of public anger that led to millions taking to the streets in protest.

Things reached a flashpoint on June 12, when thousands surrounded the city’s legislature to prevent lawmakers from discussing the Bill, but this quickly escalated into violence with police firing tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protesters.

More than 80 people were injured, including law enforcement officers, and 32 others arrested. Eight of those arrested were released unconditionally on Tuesday.

But anger persists, with many accusing law enforcement officers of being heavy-handed against unarmed protesters, but police insist they were responding to protesters who were throwing bricks and sharpened metal poles.

The Civil Human Rights Front, which organised massive protests over the past two weekends, said it would be making an official police complaint about the matter on Thursday.

A rally against the Bill as well as to demand for Mrs Lam’s resignation has been planned for July 1, the anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover to China and traditionally a day for the city’s residents to take to the streets.

Chief Executive Mrs Lam on Tuesday reiterated that the divisive Bill had been suspended and she promised not to re-table it. She also apologised to Hong Kongers for a second time after massive protests but defied calls to step down.

Organisers said 2 million turned out last weekend although police put the figure at 340,000 at most.

Many people in the city say China’s legal system is opaque and there is concern that political dissidents and activists could be targeted under the Bill.

The Hong Kong government has said the aim is to prevent the city from becoming a haven for international fugitives, and that the law has safeguards.

There is also fear of Beijing’s growing influence in the territory, which enjoys many freedoms not allowed in mainland China, including a free press and the right to protest.

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