Hong Kong going on protest again

Despite declaring the controversial extradition bill “dead” by the city’s leader, Chief Executive Carrie Lam, the Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters are returning to the streets on Saturday to march through Mong Kok, one of the world’s most densely populated districts.

According to dpa news agency, the neighbourhood in the Asian financial hub is known for its many shopping malls as well as criminal syndicates, known as the triads.

Triad members are said to have been previously linked to attacks on protesters, including one at a protest two weeks ago that saw groups of men beat protesters and commuters in a train station.

Mong Kok has also seen a number of clashes in the past between police and protesters, notably during 2014’s Umbrella Movement protests and again in a 2016 riot.

Protests in Hong Kong show no sign of dying down after nearly two months of weekly demonstrations that began against an extradition bill that would have allowed for the extradition of suspected criminals to mainland China, because the protests have turned into a greater movement against both the government and police high-handedness.

A recent survey by the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute showed the government to have a 70 per cent dissatisfaction rating in mid-July while distrust was reported as 60 per cent.

On Friday night, a rally by civil servants drew tens of thousands, according to organizers, with many stating they were unhappy with the government’s handling of the crisis, the news agency reported.