Protesters gather in Hong Kong in opposition to proposed extradition bill

Mass protests arose in the streets of Hong Kong on Sunday as hundreds of thousands of demonstrators gathered to oppose the government's controversial extradition bill proposal.

The bill, which goes to a vote on June 12, would allow the transfer of suspected criminals to mainland China — as well as Taiwan and Macau — for trial.

Supporters of the bill say there are safeguards in place to prevent anyone facing religious or political persecution from being extradited to China, with the government asserting that Hong King courts will maintain the final say on extradition decisions; opponents fear that it would expose Hong Kong residents to China’s flawed justice system — where suspects could allegedly face unfair trial and even torture — and harm Hong Kong’s judicial independence.

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The march is expected to be the largest in Hong Kong since the Umbrella Movement protests in 2014.