Thousands Turn Out In Taipei To Show Support

Thousands of people gathered outside the Legislative Yuan in Taipei this afternoon, to show support for the anti-extradition protesters in Hong Kong.

Wearing black and chanting slogans such as "stand with Hong Kong" and "say no to China", they called for the the extradition bill to be scrapped immediately.

One of the organisers accused the Hong Kong government of using violence to suppress peaceful protests and called on it to recognise that June 12 was a peaceful demonstration rather than a riot. On Wednesday police had used rubber bullets and tear gas against protesters camped on roads around government headquarters.

A Taiwan murder case had been used by the local government to justify the urgency of the bill, but the authorities there have reiterated that they will not accept the transfer of fugitives from Hong Kong under the proposed legislation.