Hong Kong remains in a state of unrest as protestors continue petitioning the government for greater freedom following the withdrawal of a controversial extradition bill by Chief Executive Carrie Lam.  

The withdrawal of the extradition bill in early September fulfilled only one of the five protestor demands. The other four demands are: more freedom for the city, release of arrested protestors, an independent investigation into police action against protesters, and Lam’s resignation. 

So far, the Hong Kong government has refused to fulfill the other demands.

Up until 1997, Hong Kong was a British colony and today, is part of China. The country has maintained the rights and freedoms obtained from British rule, but Hong Kongers fear that the Chinese government has been trying to exert more and more control over the bustling economic hub. 

The now withdrawn extradition bill solidified those fears for political activists in Hong Kong, which sparked the summer protests. The protests have changed tune through the course of the summer, turning into a pro-democracy movement.

“Their elections aren’t free and open,” says John Terry, a World and U.S. History teacher here at Wayne Hills, “and [the bill] opened the political floodgates. They want to elect their own leader, not someone sent from Beijing on behalf of the Communist party.”