Pressure mounts on Hong Kong leader

Hong Kong’s embattled leader faced mounting pressure yesterday to abandon a deeply unpopular plan to allow extraditions to China, with protest organizers getting police go-ahead to hold a new rally at the weekend. The international finance hub was rocked by the worst political violence since its 1997 handover to China on Wednesday as tens of thousands of protesters were dispersed by riot police firing tear gas and rubber bullets.

The city’s pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam has so far refused to meet protester demands to withdraw or scrap the bill -- although rumors were swirling Friday that a postponement of the bill was imminent amid a growing chorus of discontent. Throughout the day Lam found herself facing calls from within her own political camp to reverse course and tamp down spiraling public anger -- including from hardline pro-Beijing lawmakers.

“Shouldn’t (we) cool the citizens down? I think to postpone it for a little bit is not a bad thing. At this moment, the government should self-examine,” Ann Chiang, a hardcore pro-Beijing lawmaker, told i-Cable News. Friday’s comments marked the first indication that supporters of the extradition law are now having second thoughts, following a growing public backlash.