How do you follow a record-breaking march with an estimated 2 million turnout? Hong Kong’s extradition bill protesters face challenges deciding their next step
- Thousands remained to occupy roads after Sunday’s march and hundreds stayed overnight, but as crowds swelled again the next day, no one was sure what to do next
- Atmosphere outside Chief Executive’s Office grows divisive by evening as protesters are unsure whether to march to Carrie Lam’s residence, Government House
Hong Kong’s pro-democracy bloc and devoted but leaderless protesters on Monday struggled with ways to follow Sunday’s record-breaking march.
The Civil Human Rights Front, which organised the march against a contentious extradition bill, estimated almost two million people took to the streets.
Thousands remained to occupy sections of roads in Admiralty, in the evening and a small fraction – hundreds of them – stayed overnight. They retreated to a protest zone at the Legislative Council to allow blocked roads to be reopened to traffic in the morning.
The crowd then swelled as fresh faces including secondary school pupils who had changed out of their uniforms, tertiary students on a break and adults on strike joined.
Many said they were frustrated that the government remained unresponsive to their demands, including for Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor to step down, for the bill to be fully withdrawn and police to be held accountable for firing on protesters.
Some admitted being confused about the next course of action and asked reporters what would happen next.
