TENS of thousands of Hong Kong residents have jammed the city’s streets, marching in protest of a proposed extradition bill and its handling by the government.

Widespread opposition to the bill continues despite the country’s chief executive Carrie Lam saying the legislation has been suspended for the time being.

Crowds walked slowly through the streets shouting “withdraw” and “resign”. They marched towards the central district where the government’s headquarters is located, having organised at Victoria Park.

Demonstrators carried banners calling on Lam to step down and drop the legislation completely, following on from Saturday’s announcement it had been suspended. The march follows another a week earlier, in which as many as a million flooded the streets to express concern over Hong Kong’s relations with mainland China.

Communist Party-ruled China promised when it took control in 1997 not to interfere with Hong Kong’s civil liberties and courts.

The unrest stems from concerns the bill would expose people in Hong Kong to China’s deeply flawed justice system, blurring the lines of the city’s independence regarding the law.

Marchers carried flowers and lined up to pay respects at a makeshift memorial for a man who fell to his death after hanging a banner that read “Make Love, No Shoot” and “No Extradition to China”. He slipped from the grasp of rescuers after clinging to scaffolding outside a shopping centre.

He missed a large cushion set up to catch him and was declared dead at a nearby hospital.

Some protestors carried messages saying “the students did not riot” in response to police labelling Wednesday’s student protest as such.

In Hong Kong, riots are offences punishable by up to 10 years in jail.

Dozens were injured after police fought back with tear gas, rubber bullets and other forceful measures. Authorities say 11 people were arrested, while some rights group have accused the police of excessive force.

Some labour unions, teacher associations and other groups are planning boycotts of work and classes today, following calls from pro-democracy activists for a general strike.

Leaders of the Civil Human Rights Front said they encourage “all the public to carry on the campaign”.

Lam has said the extradition legislation is needed for Hong Kong to uphold justice, meet its international obligations and not become a magnet for fugitives. The proposed bill would expand the scope of criminal suspect transfers to include Taiwan, Macau and mainland China.

China has been excluded from Hong Kong’s extradition agreements over concerns about its judicial independence and human rights record.

Lam has sidestepped questions over whether she should quit and said she still plans to seek passage of the proposed amendment. She also defended how the police dealt with the clashes with demonstrators.

But she said it was time “for responsible government to restore as quickly as possible this calmness in society” following her announcement the bill would be suspended.

“I want to stress that the government is adopting an open mind,” she said. “We have no intention to set a deadline for this work.”

Lam has stressed the bill came of her own initiative without any pressure from Beijing authorities.

Hong Kong has its own judicial independence, legislature and economic system, while Beijing remains responsible for defence and foreign affairs.