Thousands of Hong Kong lawyers stage rare protest urging end to political prosecutions during anti-gov’t demos
Thousands of legal sector professionals staged their second “black clothes” march in two months urging for an end to political prosecutions, for the Department of Justice to retain its independence and for the government to form an independent commission of inquiry to investigate events that occurred during two months of anti-extradition bill protests.
The lawyers gathered at Central’s Court of Final Appeal before marching in silence to Department of Justice’s office nearby on Wednesday from around 12:45pm. Legal sector lawmaker Dennis Kwok said 3,000 joined.
Around 3,000 people from Hong Kong’s legal sector first marched on June 6 against the controversial extradition bill. Since then, protests calling for the withdrawal of the extradition bill have adopted calls for democratic development and an independent investigation into alleged instances of police brutality. Last week, 44 protesters were charged with rioting – which carries a maximum jail sentence of 10 years – shortly after they were arrested. Some of those charged said that they did not participate in the protest in Sheung Wan on July 28 but were helping to provide first aid to others.
