Hong Kong leader tries to cool protests

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s first public meeting with protesters on Thursday failed to quell the ongoing unrest. At a two-hour town hall gathering at Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Lam listened to 150 people voice their frustrations over her refusal to heed their demands. She didn’t leave the stadium until four hours after the event to avoid the protesters who had gathered outside.

What concessions did she offer? During the meeting, Lam vowed to regain public trust and took responsibility for the anti-government protests that have persisted since June. But she did not make any concrete commitments to meet the demonstrators’ demands for an inquiry into police brutality or the release of those arrested. More protests are expected over the weekend as China’s Communist Party prepares to mark its 70th anniversary in power on Oct. 1.

Dig deeper: Read June Cheng’s report on an 80-year-old activist’s response to the pro-democracy protests.