Hundreds gather in Hong Kong to remember protester who fell to his death

Protesters stood atop the Pacific Place luxury shopping mall, near the heart of the financial district, to remember Marco Leung - who was wearing a yellow raincoat when he fell - with a banner reading: "No extradition to China, fully retract the bill." Squads of riot police stood guard next to a makeshift memorial as people laid white flowers on the ground. One masked man wearing a yellow raincoat held a sign that read: "Immortal." "I'm here to remember what happened one year ago ...

Hundreds of Hong Kong people dressed in black and wearing white ribbons gathered on Monday to remember the day last year when a 35-year-old man fell to his death from a shopping mall after unfurling banners against a now-withdrawn extradition bill. The bill, which would have allowed people to be sent to mainland China for trial in courts controlled by the Communist Party, sparked a broad anti-government protest movement that brought parts of the financial hub to a standstill.

The outbreak of coronavirus had seen a lull in protests until recent weeks when proposed new national security laws reignited fears over Beijing's tightening squeeze on the city and brought people back on to the streets. Protesters stood atop the Pacific Place luxury shopping mall, near the heart of the financial district, to remember Marco Leung - who was wearing a yellow raincoat when he fell - with a banner reading: "No extradition to China, fully retract the bill." Squads of riot police stood guard next to a makeshift memorial as people laid white flowers on the ground.

One masked man wearing a yellow raincoat held a sign that read: "Immortal." "I'm here to remember what happened one year ago ... he lost his life for the anti-extradition movement and brought everyone together to come to stand out and so I think it's fair to say that he (Leung) has given this movement momentum to keep going," the 18-year-old masked man said.

Hundreds also protested inside Pacific Place, chanting "Hong Kong Independence, the only way out" and singing the unofficial protest anthem "Glory to Hong Kong".