Hong Kong’s Huge Protests, Explained

Hundreds of thousands of Hongkongers have taken to the streets to protest a controversial extradition bill that could send Hong Kong residents to mainland China to be tried in court. Hong Kong’s Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, says the bill is meant to prevent Hong Kong from becoming a safe haven for fugitives. But its opponents fear that Hong Kong would be exposed to China’s flawed judicial system, which would lead to further erasure of the city’s judicial independence. At first Lam was determined to move forward with the bill. But after a series of massive protests, she announced she would “indefinitely suspend” the bill. But protesters aren’t accepting the suspension, and have started demanding its complete withdrawal. They’ve also begun calling for Lam’s resignation. But this rise in tensions is about a lot more than a bill. To understand why this bill hits a nerve with Hongkongers, it’s important to understand Hong Kong’s relationship with China – and exactly how the bill would tip the scales in China’s favour. Watch this video to understand the news coming out of Hong Kong and the history that led up to this moment.