Hundreds of thousands of protesters in Hong Kong against the extradition bill: 72 injured

The bill, if adopted, according to the protesters, would allow China to suppress opponents and political critics in Hong Kong.

UPDATE: At least 72 injured during protests in Hong Kong.

At least 72 people, between the ages of 15 and 66, of whom at least two were in serious conditions, were hospitalized, a spokesman for the Hong Kong Information Bureau told CNN. Amnesty International said the use of force in Hong Kong is in violation of international law.

Police used rubber bullets, pepper spray and tear gas to push back against protests over a controversial extradition bill in Hong Kong today.

ここは香港です。 pic.twitter.com/O0Kbzk5Bwi

— 周庭 Agnes Chow Ting (@chowtingagnes) 12 giugno 2019

This is Hong Kong Police #HongKongProtest pic.twitter.com/ful9lOHDlp

— williamcwk (@wcwkmoney) 12 giugno 2019

After a long & emotional day, i hope this vid will bring you peace before going to bed.
These people, who don’t know each other before, have been singing the same hallelujah song for more than 18 hours in front of the police.
Again, only in #hongkong #extraditionbill #AntiELAB pic.twitter.com/Xo6TgEElOS

— Jeffie Lam (@jeffielam) 12 giugno 2019

pic.twitter.com/ean6ZgOlsN

— Nathan VanderKlippe (@nvanderklippe) 12 giugno 2019

Earlier – Police assaulting young girl already fallen on ground #antiELAB #NoExtraditionChina pic.twitter.com/vRJTZXOO97

— Galileo Cheng (@galileocheng) 12 giugno 2019

Hong Kong Police have threatened and attacked the journalists!#antiELAB #stopHKmassacre pic.twitter.com/6VLLDk24vB

— Hong Kong #AntiELAB Movement (@Fight4HongKong) 12 giugno 2019

The new controversial bill would allow suspected criminals to be sent to mainland China for trial, bypassing Hong Kong’s judicial independence.

According to the demonstrators, more than one million people participated in the demonstration, according to the police, 240,000.

THIS IS MORE THAN 1 MILLION PEOPLE MARCHING!
Say no to extradition to China! Proud to be HongKonger!#HongKong pic.twitter.com/wBCOlLPsQs

— Nathan Law 羅冠聰 (@nathanlawkc) 9 giugno 2019

Carrie Lam, head of the Hong Kong government, pushed for the adoption of the bill before July.

Supporters say that safeguards are in place to prevent anyone exposed to religious or political persecution from being extradited to mainland China.

Moreover, extradition would lead suspects to be exposed to the Chinese judicial system, eroding the independence of the former British colony.

The protesters who marched wearing white clothes included students, businessmen, white-collar workers, activists, and religious groups.

At the conclusion of the march, several hundred protesters clashed with police in riot gear while trying to break into the legislative council complex.