A pro-democracy protester throws back a tear gas canister fired by riot police in Hong Kong on October 21 (Picture: AFP)

Hong Kong’s government has formally withdrawn a controversial extradition bill that sparked months of chaotic protests by millions of pro-democracy demonstrators.

The planned legislation would have allowed extraditions to mainland China.

Withdrawing it met one of five demands by protesters but the decision is unlikely to end the often violent unrest in the region.

The rallying cry of the protesters, who have trashed public buildings in the semi-autonomous Chinese city and thrown petrol bombs at police, has been ‘five demands, not one less’, including universal suffrage.


Protesters want the right to elect Hong Kong leaders through general elections with no restrictions put in place from the central government of China.

People run from tear gas fired by police during a pro-democracy march on October 20 (Picture: AFP)

Police look out over demonstrations held on National Day in Hong Kong (Picture: EPA)

A protester is arrested during an anti-government demonstration earlier this month (Picture: EPA)

Protesters have been ongoing ever since the extradition bill reform was first announced in the summer (Picture: AFP)

Riot police officers have used tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets to disperse protesters (Picture: AP)

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said last month she would drop the bill after the unrest (Picture: AFP)

Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam had proposed amendments to extradition legislation as a way to resolve a case involving a man wanted for murder in self-ruled Taiwan.



He could not be sent to face charges because there was no extradition agreement.

But the proposals sparked widespread fears that residents across Hong Kong would then be at risk of being sent to mainland China’s Communist Party-controlled courts.

Lam was forced to back down and said last month she would drop the bill.

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