
Dozens of Hong Kong demonstrators returned to the streets today to clean up rubbish following a protest against a proposed extradition law with China.

The massive rally paralysed Hong Kong's city centre yesterday as crowds and riot police clashed, with officers using tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets to beat back unarmed protesters trying to storm the city's parliament. At least 72 people were injured and 11 people were arrested, officials said.

Incredible images show youths braving the rain to clean their city this morning, picking up trash and sorting out recyclables and unused supplies.

Dozens of Hong Kong demonstrators returned to the streets today to clean up rubbish following a protest against a proposed extradition law with China. The city's leader Carrie Lam had called yesterday's protest an 'organised riot'

Images show youths braving the rain to clean their city, picking up trash and sorting out recyclables and unused supplies

People pick out helmets, umbrellas and other items from rubbish left behind after the mass protest yesterday

'We just want to clean up, we're not part of any organisations,' one young demonstrator wearing a face mask told AFP in a video.

'We just want to be responsible. Since we were the ones to create all this rubbish, we have the responsibility to clean it up,' he said.

'I am part of the rally and a part of Hong Kong. I saw so much garbage on the ground and wanted to do something for the city,' another protester said.

A massive clean up near Admiralty district has been underway since last night, clearing streets of debris, such as broken umbrellas used by protesters to protect themselves as well as broken barricades and construction materials.

#HongKong student Cherry Chan was among the #ExtraditionBill protesters outside the government headquarters on Wednesday. She was there on Thursday again – but to clear rubbish https://t.co/1jW6fjZPx3 pic.twitter.com/MCc5XIbcay — RTHK English News (@rthk_enews) 13 June 2019

Twitter Privacy Policy

A massive clean up near Admiralty district has been underway since last night, clearing streets of debris, such as broken umbrellas used by protesters to protect themselves as well as broken barricades and construction materials

'We just want to clean up, we're not part of any organisations,' one young demonstrator wearing a face mask told AFP

Yesterday, tens of thousands of black-clad demonstrators filled streets and overturned barriers outside the city's government Legislative Council, where the bill was due for a scheduled debate

Riot police use tear gas and pepper spray to beat back demonstrators trying to storm into the city's Legislative Council

Face masks, food packaging, water bottles and unused helmets were also left strewed across the streets.

Similar scenes of protesters voluntarily cleaning up the streets occurred during the 2014 Umbrella Movement, which made international headlines and was dubbed 'the politest protest.'

Besides collecting garbage following the series of sit-in street protests, demonstrators then left notes apologising for traffic delays and organised makeshift recycling stations.

Yesterday, tens of thousands of black-clad demonstrators filled streets and overturned barriers outside the city's government Legislative Council, where the bill was due for a scheduled debate.

A female protester collects garbage after the massive protest last night. Similar scenes of protesters voluntarily cleaning up the streets occurred during the 2014 Umbrella Movement

Umbrellas, face masks, food packaging, water bottles and unused helmets were also left strewed across the streets

People recover building materials that were used to build a barricade following the protest last night

The extradition bill, which will cover Hong Kong residents and foreign and Chinese nationals living or travelling through the city, has sparked concerns it may threaten the rule of law that underpins Hong Kong's international financial status.

The rally came three days after a mass protest on Sunday that drew what organisers said was more than a million people out to the streets to voice their objections to the proposed law. Officials in the Legislative Council yesterday said they would delay the second reading of the bill 'to a later date'.

Violent clashes broke out shortly after 3pm local time yesterday, with images and videos showing police officers equipped with riot shields, pepper spray and batons pushing back umbrella-wielding protesters as they run from clouds of tear gas.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said in a statement early today that the peaceful rally had become a 'blatant, organised riot' and urged a swift restoration of order.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam yesterday called the extradition protests an 'organised riot'

Street cleaners pick up garbage left from yesterday's protest. Officials said that 72 people were hurt and 11 were arrested

The Civil Human Rights Front which organised last weekend's huge march, announced plans for another demonstration for this coming Sunday

In a strongly worded three-minute video, Lam said: 'This is not an act that shows love for Hong Kong.'

'Some people resorted to dangerous, or even potentially fatal, acts,' she said, adding that these actions have undermined the safety of many.

Authorities last night have shut government offices in the city's financial district for the rest of the week after some of the worst violence in the city since Britain handed it back to Chinese rule in 1997.

The Civil Human Rights Front which organised last weekend's huge march, announced plans for another demonstration for this coming Sunday.

The organisation also called for a city-wide strike on Monday to keep pressure on the financial hub's government to scrap the proposed bill.

A massive clean up near Admiralty district has been underway since last night, clearing streets of debris, such as broken umbrellas used by protesters to protect themselves as well as broken barricades and construction materials

While acknowledging the controversy, city leader Carrie Lam has refused to postpone or withdraw the bill, which she and her officials say is necessary to plug 'loopholes' that allow the city to be a haven for criminals wanted on the mainland

Yesterday, tens of thousands of black-clad demonstrators filled streets and overturned barriers outside the city's government Legislative Council, where the bill was due for a scheduled debate

Protesters face off with riot police after officers fired tear gas at them during the massive rally yesterday

'We urge citizens to join labour strikes, school strikes and business strikes,' said Jimmy Sham, the group's convener.

Opponents of the extradition law, including leading lawyers and rights groups, say China's justice system is marked by torture and forced confessions, arbitrary detention and poor access to lawyers.

While acknowledging the controversy, Lam has refused to postpone or withdraw the bill, which she and her officials say is necessary to plug 'loopholes' that allow the city to be a haven for criminals wanted on the mainland.

Lam has said the courts would provide human rights safeguards in vetting case-by-case extraditions to mainland China.