Hong Kong's protests started in June against plans to allow extradition to mainland China.The extradition bill which triggered the first protest was introduced in April. It would have allowed for criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China under certain circumstances.


Critics said this risked exposing Hong Kongers to unfair trials and violent treatment. They also argued the bill would give China greater influence over Hong Kong and could be used to target activists and journalists.people took to the streets. After weeks of protests, leader Carrie Lam eventually said the bill would be suspended indefinitely.


Protesters feared the bill could be revived, so demonstrations continued, calling for it to be withdrawn completely.
By then clashes between police and protesters had become more frequent and violent.
In July, protesters stormed parliament , defacing parts of it. In August, one protester was injured in the eye, leading to demonstrators wearing red-coloured eye patches to show their solidarity.
Protest action at Hong Kong international airport in August also saw renewed clashes and led to hundreds of flights being cancelled.
In September, the bill was finally withdrawn , but protesters said this was "too little, too late".

What do the protesters want?
Some protesters have adopted the motto: "Five demands, not one less!" These are:
* For the protests not to be characterised as a "riot"
* Amnesty for arrested protesters(is the act of releasing or protecting a person or persons from prosecution for wrongdoings. )
*
* An independent inquiry into alleged police brutality
* Implementation of complete universal suffrage
The fifth demand, the withdrawal of the bill, has already been met.
Some also want the resignation of Carrie Lam, whom they view as Beijing's puppet.
Protests supporting the Hong Kong movement have spread across the globe, with rallies taking place in the UK, France, US, Canada and Australia.

Thus far, fears of a Tiananmen-style crackdown have not borne out. The Chinese military has a garrison in Hong Kong, but its deployment is widely seen as a worst-case scenario that all sides want to avoid. The international business community would likely see a military intervention as the end of “one country, two systems,”

WHY IS THE PROTEST IMPORTANT?