Timeline - 2019 Protests
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7.21 8.11 8.31 9.4 (Full Bill Withdrawal)-
First proposal of extradition bill
February, 2019
The Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2019 was first proposed by the government of Hong Kong on February 2019 in response to the 2018 murder of Poon Hiu-wing by her boyfriend Chan Tong-kai in Taiwan, where the two Hong Kong residents were visiting as tourists.
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Introduction of Extradition Bill
April 3, 2019
Hong Kong's government introduced plans for changes to legislation that would allow for criminal suspects to potentially be extradited to China.
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June 9 Protest
June 9, 2019
An estimated one million people marched to the government headquarters to show they were against the proposed bill.
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June 12 Protest
June 12, 2019
Three days later, on 12 June, a fresh demonstration took place at which police fired tear gas and rubber bullets.
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Indefinite delay of Extradition Bill
June 15, 2019
Another three days later, on 15 June, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam issued a dramatic reversal, saying she would indefinitely delay the extradition bill.
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June 16 Protests
June 16, 2019
Despite this, an estimated two million people took to the streets the following day, 16 June, demanding the bill be withdrawn completely and calling for Ms Lam's resignation.
3.20pm - 4pm Time Lapse continues to show protestors trying to leave Victoria Park and those on Causeway Bay #616黑衣大遊行 #616protest #NoToChinaExtradition #香港人加油 pic.twitter.com/H6N4LBNuQs
— A Girl from HK (@girlinhk) June 16, 2019 -
June 21 protests
June 21, 2019
Over the next days, anger grew towards the police and on 21 June, protesters blockaded police headquarters for 15 hours.
They now demanded that protesters who were arrested during previous protests should be exonerated.
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Storming of LegCo
July 1, 2019
On 1 July, the anniversary of Hong Kong's handover from the UK to China, the Legislative Council (LegCo) building was stormed by protesters who sprayed graffiti on the walls, displayed the colonial-era flag and defaced Hong Kong's regional emblem.
Before & after - #legco chamber and corridor reopens after July 1 break in. The graffiti that says "it is you who taught us peaceful marches were useless" has been painted over. #antielab pic.twitter.com/H1HvUK1r0e
— Lok. (@sumlokkei) October 8, 2019 -
March in Kowloon
July 7, 2019
One week later, on 7 July, tens of thousands marched in Kowloon - an area popular with mainland tourists - in a bid to explain their concerns. Until this point the protests had received little if any coverage in state-run mainland media.
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Extradition Bill declared dead
July 9, 2019
On 9 July, Carrie Lam reiterated that the extradition bill was "dead" urging protesters to stop their actions. She still refrained from fully withdrawing the bill.
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Yuen Long Triad Terrorism
July 21, 2019
On 21 July, protesters defaced China's Liaison Office in Hong Kong.
That same night, mobs of men wearing white-shirts attack commuters in Yuen Long underground station - near mainland China- in a new escalation of violence.
Some suspected these were members of gangs called triads and pointed out that police arrived very late to stop them.
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9th Week of Protests
August 3, 2019
On 3 August, protests took place for the ninth consecutive weekend. Police again fired tear gas, rubber bullets and bean bag rounds at protesters, something many had now come to expect. By this time protesters were wearing masks and protective gear at every demonstration.
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First Aider Shot in Eye
August 11, 2019
On 11 August, police stormed enclosed railway stations, firing tear gas at protesters, leading yet again to dramatic scenes of confrontation. During the violence that Sunday, one protester was injured in her eye, which became a symbol of the protest movement.
The next day, on 12 August, protesters gathered at the airport, leading to hundreds of flights being cancelled.
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Prince Edward MTR incident
August 31, 2019
Just before 11 pm on August 31, riot police, including members of the Special Tactical Squad “Raptors”, stormed the Prince Edward subway station in Mong Kok. During the ensuing chaos, riot police were filmed by journalists rushing into subway carriages and viciously and indiscriminately assaulting passengers with batons and pepper spray, leaving many passengers cowering and bleeding.
The refusal of MTR in releasing the full CCTV footage is a major source of criticism, fuelling public distrust in the institution.
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Extradition Bill Withdrawn
September 4, 2019
On 4 September Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam announced she would withdraw the highly controversial extradition bill which had started the protests. She also unveiled other measures that appeared to be designed to soothe unrest, but her opponents said it was too little, too late.
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Thousands rally in Hong Kong to urge U.S. to pass Hong Kong human rights act
October 14, 2019
Tens of thousands of Hong Kongers marched to urge the US Congress to enact the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act.
More than one hundred thousand Hongkongers packed the streets of Central tonight, in a rally to support the US Congress’s “Hong Kong Human Rights And Democracy Act”.
— Denise Ho (HOCC)💪🏿😷 (@hoccgoomusic) October 14, 2019
The act will be voted by the house of representatives on 15/10, Tuesday.#StandwithHK pic.twitter.com/MeuLnnKmn2