Hong Kong reopens Central Government Offices after mass protests

[HONG KONG] Hong Kong reopened downtown government offices that had been blocked off after a historic protest on Sunday calling for leader Carrie Lam to resign over a bill allowing extraditions to China for the first time.

The government announced on Tuesday that roads near the Central Government Offices, which is next to Ms Lam's office, had "generally become accessible" and urged staff to return to work. The Executive Council that Ms Lam oversees will be on recess on Tuesday, the government said in a separate statement, adding that arrangements for her normal media session would be announced later.

Ms Lam is under pressure to resign after hundreds of thousands of protesters wearing black flooded downtown Hong Kong on Sunday, prompting her to issue a statement apologising for causing "substantial controversies and disputes in society". Still, China said on Monday it continues to "firmly support" Ms Lam and her government.

Protest leaders want Ms Lam to completely withdraw the extradition bill and resign from office. The dispute has attracted attention around the globe to the embarrassment of China: Beijing has blamed foreigners for provoking the protests, and urged other nations to stop getting involved in what it regards as a domestic issue.