The Diplomat: "Hong Kong’s Protests Aren’t Just About the Extradition Bill Anymore"

Published on THE DIPLOMAT MAGAZINE As triad society members viciously and indiscriminately beat up citizens in a subway station in Yuen Long in an apparent attempt to punish anti-government protesters, it has become clear that Hong Kong’s stormy summer has no end in sight. Evidence of collusion in the incident by Hong Kong police and pro-Beijing legislator Junius Ho only added fuel to the fire. The apple of discord is the China extradition bill, which allegedly closes the legal loophole allowing Hong Kong to become a “haven for fugitives,” but has also sparked massive concern over the potential legitimization of state-sponsored kidnapping of Hong Kong residents. While Chief Executive Carrie Lam, amidst waves of protests, has yet to officially withdraw the extradition bill, the legislative process of the law has ceased, and Lam has reassured the public that the bill is “dead.” A complete withdrawal of the bill remains one of the demands of the protesters, but the consensus is