The flash point to Hong Kong’s massive protest stemmed from the proposal to amend Hong Kong’s extradition law because of a murder committed by a Hong Kong citizen in Taiwan.

It sounds harmless and justified initially however amendments to the bill was made to enable criminal suspects to be sent to mainland China at the discretion of the Chief Executive, rendering Hong Kong’s courts useless in the decision to extradite.

Timeline:

• February 2019 – Hong Kong’s Security Bureau proposed amendments to extradition laws on a case-by-case basis to countries including mainland China
• March 2019 – Thousands take to the streets in protest of proposed bill
• April 2019 – HK government introduces amendments that extends to criminal suspects being sent to mainland China for trial – A country without an independent judicial system and is infamous for their violation of human rights in detentions
• Late April 2019 – Tens of thousands of Hong Kong citizens marched in protest – demanding a withdrawal of the bill
• May 2019 – Carrie Lam (Chief Executive) suggests government is determined to push through the bill and willing to bypass normal legislative procedures
• June 9 2019 – 1 million people marched in protest against the bill. Government ignores protest and vows to push through the bill
• June 12 2019 – Protesters (largely students) gather around government building to prevent second reading of bill
• June 12 2019 – Police fire rubber bullets and 150 tear gas at protesters. Clashes between students and police
• June 16 2019 – 2 million citizens marched on the streets against police brutality
• July 1 2019 – small group of protesters break into legislative council as a symbol to take back Hong Kong
• July 21 2019 – citizens returning home after a peaceful protest attacked by triad members. Police failed to make arrest
• August 12/13 2019 – with the support of aviation workers, demonstrators shut down airport operations
• August 18, 2019 – 1.7 million marched reimposing message to government of their 5 demands

5 Demands

1. Withdraw extradition bill
2. Retract labelling demonstrators as “rioters”
3. Release all demonstrators that were arrested
4. Independent inquiry into police behaviour during protests
5. Universal Suffrage