In Biggest Rally for Years, Thousands March in Hong Kong to Protest Against China Extradition Bill

Hong Kong: Several hundred thousand people jammed Hong Kong's streets on Sunday in the biggest rally for years to thwart a proposed extradition law that would allow suspects to be sent to mainland China to face trial.

Organisers said their initial estimates put the turnout at well over half a million people, saying it outstripped a demonstration in 2003 when 5,00,000 hit the streets to challenge government plans for tighter national security laws.

Those laws were later shelved and a key government official forced to resign. Sunday's outpouring was widely expected to raise the pressure on the administration of Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam and her official backers in Beijing.