More than 100 people stood on a walkway that connects Admiralty MTR to Legco in a peaceful demonstration against the extradition bill. Protesters continued to congregate peacefully yesterday, in a show of defiance against the controvertial extradition bill.
Blocked by metal barricades, most protesters gathered on the Admiralty footbridge leading to Legco, and around the entrances of the Central Government Complex. They faced police officers carrying shields, and clad in helmets.
In a small victory for demonstrators, a Legco press release stated that the extradition bill reading would not be held today, and an announcement will be made once the President determines a time of the meeting.
Civil Human Rights Front, the organiser of the June 9 protest, had applied for a permit to march this Sunday, and hold a public gatherinf on Monday.
This morning, protesters campaigning for the withdrawal of the bill returned to MTR stations, and urged passengers to disrupt train services, students to skip classes, and workers to go on strike.
Today's coverage follows events as the unfold, in build up to Sunday and Monday's demonstrations.
[UPDATE - Friday, 11.01pm]
Reuters reports that Hong Kong police officials feel trapped between Carrie Lam and protesters. Police Chief Stephen Lo Wai-chung said the force had been under great pressure, facing tens of thousands of protesters and would not have used weapons "indiscriminately". This came on the heels of numerous complaints from journalists of being targeted by police, and at least one video of a foreign journalist in a showdown with "Hong Kong's finest".
The following clip contains strong language.
When reporters went to a news conference with the police they wore hard hats and masks in protest against their treatment.
A senior police officer told Reuters that many police officers blame Carrie Lam for the crisis. But Steve Vickers, a former top policeman who runs a risk consultancy said that demonstrators see the police, rather than the government as the enemy, and the police see both the media and the protesters as the troublemakers.
[UPDATE - Friday, 10.28pm]
What is the difference between a riot and a disturbance? About 10 years. Writers and debaters have been wondering about this since Carrie Lam called Wednesday's protests "a blatant riot". Well, the Post asked the professors.
The idea that what happened was riot could have been what prompted police to arrest so many people.
[UPDATE - Friday, 9.28pm]
Thousands of mothers in Hong Kong are giving Carrie Lam what for after she said that as a mother, she can't give her children everything they ask for immediately. Less than 30 hours after she uttered those words, women began gathering in Chater Gardens to set her straight. Organisers say around 6,000 people were there. While the protesters lit up the Garden, Moms scolded the police for being too hard on protesters, begged schools not to sanction teachers who joined the protest or who went on strike and hit back at the Lam about what motherhood is all about.
UPDATE - Friday, 8.18pm]
Civil Human Rights Front convenor Jimmy Tsz-kit Sham announced at 7.14pm that police had just granted them the permit for Sunday's march.
The protest will begin at 2.30pm. This time, there will be two starting points, Victoria Park in Tin Hau and Edinburgh Place in Central. Both routes will lead to the Legco Complex in Admiralty.
The Front said they had secured a second starting point because they wanted to cater for the disabled and elderly, since the route from Edinburgh Place to Central is relatively short.
“We want to include as many people as possible,” said deputy convenor Figo Chan Ho-hang.
The Front also said the police had agreed to open all traffic lanes for the march if there was a huge turnout. Last Sunday's protesters became frustrated when police tried to contain them to a few lanes on Hennessey Road. Eventually, the police relented and the march proceeded much more quickly.
The Front said thet were doing everything they could to ensure this Sunday's protest was a lawful assembly, so people from all walks of life could join.
“Speaking up is the best way to protect ourselves, not only for the protesters, but also for our current system and its freedoms and rights," Chan told Stand News an online news portal.
After last Sunday's protest of more than a million people, the Front is calling on Hongkongers to return to the streets this Sunday to condemn what they called police violence at the protest outside Legco on Wednesday, and also do demand the extradition bill be withdrawn and Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Yuet-ngor
UPDATE - Friday, 7.19pm]
[UPDATE - Friday, 6.58pm]
[UPDATE - Friday, 5.21pm]
The Hospital Authority has issued statements saying they are commited to protecting patient privacy and any data collected is base on clinical needs. "Public hospitials have procedures to process requests for information by law enforcement, including making official records." the statement said.
An additional clarification regarding the statistical counting of wounded in major incidents said "The HA's 'major incident control centre' will request Accident and Emergency rooms to provide information on the identity of caretakers, citizens and media to coordinate medical, media and government bureau support services. The HA will only release overall numbers to media, and will not provide individual patient information.
[UPDATE - Friday, 3.25pm]
We spoke to Demosisto vice-chairman Issac Cheng Ka-long about the reasons for their silent protest at Mei Foo MTR station, and why, while they didn't organise the citywide MTR non-cooperation campaign, they support other non-violent protests. Read that story here.
[UPDATE - Friday, 2.45pm]
[UPDATE - Friday, 2.30pm]
Medical professionals, including the Hong Kong Public Doctors' Association, Médecins Inspirés and Dr Pierre Chan Pui-yin, medical sector lawmaker have issued a statement expressing concern about the police making arrests in public hospitials. They say "these arrests are a departure from norms, plainsclothes officer prowling hospital grounds not only might breach patient privacy, but may also cause mistrust between patient and medical staff."
They say barring a court order or patient consent, doctors have no reason to provide information to third parties and they appeal for citizens to continue placing their trust in public hospitial medicial staff and for the Hospital Authority to ensure patient information is protected.
[UPDATE - Friday, 1.53pm]
According to posts from Twitter, posts on Lennon Wall haven't been taken down, but it is still not accessible to the public. Tim Mei Avenue outside the Legco entrance is filled with police vehicles.
[Update - Friday, 1.45pm]
Meanwhile, Tamar Park seems quiet and peaceful; a stark contrast to the scenes that unfolded just two days ago.
[UPDATE - Friday, 1.42pm]
According to RTHK, the Confederation of Trade Unions (CTU) is calling on both employers and employees to join a citywide labour strike on Monday to protest against the fugitive bill.
[UPDATE - Friday, 1.07pm]
Accoring to RTHK, a group of pro-government supporters held a protest outside the US Consulate this morning, accusing Americans of inciting protests in Hong Kong, and using the city as a battleground for the China trade war.
[UPDATE - Friday, 12.57pm]
The Hong Kong Blind Union said in a Facebook post that some visually impaired people were stopped by police at Sunday's rally, and were asked if their canes were weapons.
They expressed their disappointment and urged the police to be more aware of the disabled.
[UPDATE - Friday, 12.32pm]
According to RTHK, the Diocesan Girls' School teacher who was injured in the Sunday protests and arrested by the police yesterday, has said on social media that he has left the police station on bail. His doctors have said that he will gain 80 - 90 per cent of his sight in a few weeks to a few months. In a Facebook post, the teacher said he cannot reveal anything further.
[UPDATE - Friday, 12.30pm]
In a letter from the Hong Kong Education Bureau to school supervisors and principals dated 13 June, Secretary of Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung has decried 'using schools as a venue to express political demands'.
In addition, the letter also says: "If individual teachers are absent from their posts during work hours, schools must clearly point out the inappropriateness of such behavior and follow the relevant [school] subsidy guidelines, employment laws and school policies."
[UPDATE - Friday, 12.12pm]
According to RTHK, several members of Demosisto staged a protest inside Mei Foo station, asking for Hongkongers to join Sunday's rally.
[UPDATE - Friday, 11.58am]
There is a small silent protest on the same walkway where about a hundred gathered yesterday as well. Demonstrators and holding signs in Chinese and English that read: "Love, no force".
[UPDATE - Friday, 11.42am]
According to SCMP, protesters dressed in black have returned to MTR stations this morning, and are urging passengers to disrupt services. Hundreds of people dressed in black have appeared at Kowloon Tong and Central stations in a silent protest.