«I believe that we cannot withdraw this bill, or else society will say that this bill was groundless,” Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s chief executive, said at a news conference on Saturday.
In many ways Saturday’s announcement might be viewed as a small victory for Mrs Lam’s opposition. A draft bill that would allow citizens and foreign residents and even visitors to be extradited to mainland China has been suspended, indefinitely. But Mrs. Lam stopped short of withdrawing the bill. If she hoped that a delay would allow people to cool off and move on, that is wishful thinking. Protesters said they will not accept anything less than withdrawal of the bill. More protests are planned for Sunday. For Hong Kong, this battle, more than the protests that have come before, feels like a last stand.
In many ways Saturday’s announcement might be viewed as a small victory for Mrs Lam’s opposition. A draft bill that would allow citizens and foreign residents and even visitors to be extradited to mainland China has been suspended, indefinitely. But Mrs. Lam stopped short of withdrawing the bill. If she hoped that a delay would allow people to cool off and move on, that is wishful thinking. Protesters said they will not accept anything less than withdrawal of the bill. More protests are planned for Sunday. For Hong Kong, this battle, more than the protests that have come before, feels like a last stand.
