Protesters unmoved as Hong Kong leader says China extradition bill 'dead'
Published Date: 7/9/2019
Source: news.yahoo.com
Hong Kong's embattled pro-Beijing leader on Tuesday said a China extradition bill that sparked unprecedented political unrest "is dead" -- but protesters immediately dismissed her comments, threatening more mass rallies. The rallies were sparked by a draft law that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China, but they have morphed into a wider movement calling for democratic reforms and a halt to sliding freedoms in the semi-autonomous territory. In a city unaccustomed to such upheaval, police have fired tear gas and rubber bullets while the parliament has been trashed by protesters -- as Beijing's authority faces its most serious challenge since Hong Kong was handed back to China in 1997.