Hong Kong: Extradition bill that sparked protests formally withdrawn

W/S Legislative Council chamber, Hong Kong
SOT, John Lee Ka-chiu, Hong Kong Secretary for Security (Cantonese): "After consulting the Legislative Council Panel on Security, the Bills Committee on Mutual Legal Assistance in the Relief and Criminal Matters Bill 2019, referred to as the Bill, proposes to amend the existing Escape Ordinance and the Mutual Legal Assistance Ordinance on Criminal Matters. After the first reading of the Legislative Council meeting on the 3rd, it was pre-read in the Legislative Council on May 27, and the Legislative Council meeting held on June 12 resumed the Second Reading debate on the Bill. As the public discussed differences on the Bill, in the event of a contradiction in the community, the Government has decided to suspend the amendments after a study and review. On this, I wrote to the Chairman of the Legislative Council on June 15 to take back the Bill and resume the Second Reading debate. The Legislative Council has also stopped the Bill. It shows that the amendments have been stopped. Now, in order to further demonstrate the Government's position on the amendments, the draft bill will be formally announced in accordance with Rule 64 of the Legislative Council's Rules of Procedure."
W/S Democratic lawmakers calling government officials to step down
W/S Government officials leaving chamber
SOT, Kwok Ka-ki, Democratic Party member and legislative councillor: "Now, since June this year we all witnessed the extradition amendment bill has caused lives, destruction, violence from the police and impact on our society, and also economic loss. In the Council, as a legislator, I wanted to make sure that what has changed the mind of the government is that the responsibility of ignorance and negligence resulting in this destruction [of] society. I should, as a legislator, ask the principle officers who are responsible for all the outcome today. Unfortunately, the president Mr. Leung didn't exercise his duty to allow legislator to hold John Lee to be responsible and to answer to us. Is there anything wrong by the government should they come and apologise, and should anyone including themselves should resign in order to take responsibility. But unfortunately what we have witnessed, not only the violence on the street, but the violence within the Legislative Council chamber and violence from the system."
M/S Door of Legislative Council chamber being closed
SCRIPT
Hong Kong Secretary for Security John Lee Ka-chiu announced the withdrawal of the previously suspended extradition bill that sparked massive protests in Hong Kong.
"As the public discussed differences on the Bill, in the event of a contradiction in the community, the Government has decided to suspend the amendments after a study and review," he declared.
Democratic Party member and legislative councillor Kwok Ka-ki reacted to the withdrawal: "Mr. Leung [President of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong] didn't exercise his duty to allow legislator to hold John Lee to be responsible and to answer to us. Is there anything wrong by the government should they come and apologise, and should anyone including themselves should resign in order to take responsibility. But unfortunately what we have witnessed, not only the violence on the street, but the violence within the Legislative Council chamber and violence from the system."
Hong Kong has seen widespread protests since the city's legislature proposed a bill that would allow citizens to be extradited to mainland China for trial. Since the withdrawal of the bill, protesters adopted a wider range of grievances with activists calling for investigations into corruption, police brutality and greater democratic freedom.