Lunchtime Protests Mark Anniversary Of June 9 March

Around a hundred protesters gathered at the Landmark mall in Central at lunchtime on Tuesday to mark exactly one year since a million people took to the streets for a march to oppose the now scrapped extradition bill.

A defiant crowd shone the torches on their mobile phones, chanted slogans and held up banners that read "never forget the heart when you started, persist till the end".

Banners advocating Hong Kong independence were also on display.

A frequent lunchtime protester who works in the law profession, a woman surnamed Leung, told RTHK that she feels Chief Executive Carrie Lam hasn't learnt her lesson over the past year.

"If anything, I think what she does, ultimately, seems like she is trying to retaliate against protesters and anyone who stands in her way," Leung said, adding that the CE's words and actions seem to be aimed at intimidating protesters into not coming out.

There was some brief commotion when a pro-Beijing activist turned up at the scene, and verbal arguments erupted between him and some of the protesters. But security guards quickly escorted the man away.

Scores of riot police stood on guard outside the mall but did not intervene.

Meanwhile, in Kwun Tong people gathered on different floors of the APM shopping mall, singing protest songs that are now familiar to many after a whole year of unrest.

The crowd chanted "Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times”, a slogan which also featured on many of their banners.