Photo Journal: Two Years Ago, Hong Kong Anti-ELAB Protestors Were Stormed by Tear Gas and Rubber Bullets

Photo by Studio Incendo CC BY 4.0

The images first appeared on the Facebook page of Studio Incendo and was redistributed with the permission of the publisher.

On June 9, 2019, more than one million protesters in Hong Kong marched the streets, opposing the Hong Kong government’s introduction of the extradition bill. Legally known as “The Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2019” (2019年逃犯及刑事事宜相互法律協助法例（修訂）條例草案), the proposed bill was criticized for opening a potential legal channel for China to intimidate or arrest those critical of its rule. Despite public concerns, the Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam (林鄭月娥) proceeded with passing the bill to the Legislative Council for its second reading on June 12. That day, protestors gathered outside the Legislative Council, attempting to postpone the bill’s second reading. Protestors were stormed with rubber bullets and more than 100 rounds of tear gas. Such police brutality shocked the Hong Kong society at the early stage of the anti-ELAB protests.