Lawmakers in Hong Kong pushed and shoved each other, requiring at least one to be carried off in a gurney, inside the island territory’s parliament.
They were brawling Saturday over controversial changes to an extradition treaty with mainland China. New rules would make it easier for Hong Kong to send criminal suspects to mainland China, according to the Associated Press, where they would be subject to vague national security charges and potentially unfair trials.
The fighting erupted after pro-Beijing and pro-democracy legislators disputed who should oversee the legislation.
Pro-democracy lawmaker Wu Chi-wai, center, scuffles with security guards at Legislative Council in Hong Kong.APA member of Hong Kong’s Democratic Party reportedly yelled at a pro-Beijing colleague, “Don’t be a sinner for a thousand years! Don’t
sell out Hong Kong!”
Amendments to the extradition law prompted marches by tens of thousands of people in Hong Kong last month. Human rights groups say the proposal would undermine Hong Kong’s independence, while business groups say it will make the territory less attractive to investors.
With Post wires
