A 35-year-old man protesting Hong Kong’s extradition law bill has died after he fell from a building in Admiralty on Saturday.
The man, surnamed Leung, unfurled a banner from an elevated podium at Pacific Place reading “No extradition to China, total withdrawal of the extradition bill, we are not rioters, release the students and injured, Carrie Lam step down, help Hong Kong.”
Police told HKFP that a security staffer at the mall requested assistance at 4:30pm on Saturday, not long after Chief Executive Carrie Lam said the controversial bill would be suspended.
My colleague Roy Kwong has done his best to prevent tragedies & abuses. As butcher Carrie Lam’s regime remains in power, sad events including the loss of life are bound to happen. This Gov’t and its enablers must be made accountable for their fascist politics. #HongKongProtests pic.twitter.com/1sgtQJwLad
— Ray Chan (@ray_slowbeat) June 15, 2019
A large inflatable cushion was erected on the street below by the fire services department.
Legislator Roy Kwong and other protesters singing Sing Hallelujah To The Lord arrived in order to persuade him not to jump.
Around two hours later, the man appeared to fall on to the concrete below, missing the yellow cushion.
Firefighters provided first aid on the scene, and the victim was sent to Ruttonjee Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 9:34pm, a government press officer told HKFP.
See also: Hong Kong suspends controversial extradition bill after months of protest and criticism
In February, Hong Kong proposed legal amendments to allow it to handle case-by-case extradition requests from jurisdictions with no prior agreements – most notably China. Critics raised concerns over the risk of residents being extradited to the mainland, which lacks human rights protections. More than one million people marched last Sunday against the bill, according to organisers.
Further protests are expected this Sunday, with some protesters pledging to leave flowers at the site of Saturday’s tragedy.
Police are treating the case as a suicide.
Additional reporting: Elson Tong.
If you are experiencing negative feelings, please call: The Samaritans 2896 0000 (24-hour, multilingual), Suicide Prevention Centre 2382 0000 or the Social Welfare Department 2343 2255. The Hong Kong Society of Counselling and Psychology provides a WhatsApp hotline in English and Chinese: 6218 1084. See also: HKFP’s comprehensive guide to mental health services in Hong Kong
