Student activist Joshua Wong who became the face of the Umbrella Movement has been released
Hong Kong’s most well-known student activist Joshua Wong has called for the resignation of leader Carrie Lam, following his release from prison.
Wong, who became the face of the city’s 2014 pro-democracy protests, was speaking after one of the biggest mass protests in the city.
Organisers say two million people marched on Sunday against a controversial extradition bill.
The bill, which has now been suspended, allows extradition to mainland China.
Ms Lam on Sunday apologised for proposing the bill. Many protesters, who fear increased Chinese influence over Hong Kong, have also called for her resignation.
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Wong, who received two separate prison sentences in 2017 and 2018 for his part in what became known as the Umbrella Movement, walked free on Monday after serving a reduced sentence of one month.
“[Carrie Lam] is no longer qualified to be Hong Kong’s leader,” Wong told reporters at the prison. “She must take the blame and resign, be held accountable and step down.”
His release is expected to further rally protesters and could put more pressure on Ms Lam, correspondents say.
After diminishing in numbers overnight, large groups of protesters were seen gathering on key roads near the government headquarters again on Monday. Organisers say protests will continue until the bill is scrapped altogether.
The recent wave of protests in Hong Kong are reminiscent of the Umbrella Movement that took place in 2014 and called for the territory to be able to pick its own leaders.
The protests started in reaction to a decision made by China that it would allow direct elections in Hong Kong in 2017, but only from a list of candidates pre-approved by Beijing.
Wong and other student activists led the protests which saw thousands of people camp in the central business district for 79 days, bringing the city to a standstill.
The student activists were later convicted of unlawful assembly and jailed over an incident that helped trigger the mass protests.