Massive protest in Hong Kong against China extradition bill

Tens of thousands took to the streets of Hong Kong on Sunday to protest against the recently proposed extradition rules by the government that would allow criminal suspects in the city to be sent to mainland China for trial.

In what could be the biggest march in the city in the past 15 years, demonstrators gathered in central Hong Kong on Sunday afternoon, waving placards and chanting, "Hong Kong, never give up!," reports CNN.

On April 3, Hong Kong had proposed a controversial extradition bill, which, critics believe, will leave anyone on Hong Kong soil vulnerable to being grabbed by the Chinese authorities for political reasons or inadvertent business offences.

They further reason that the newly framed extradition plan would dissolve the rights and legal protections, which were guaranteed under the city's handover from British colonial rule to Chinese sovereignty in 1997.

Similar protests were observed on Sunday in many Australian cities as well. Hong Kong political group Demosisto said in a statement that more such protests are planned in other cities around the world.

The extent of the opposition to the bill is such that even the business groups in Hong Kong, who generally take a neutral stance on political issues, have also spoken out against the bill.

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