HONG KONG: Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam on Friday said measures announced this week to help restore order in the Chinese-ruled city were the first step.

Hundreds of protesters gathered on Friday evening, with crowds expected to swell into the night after Lam’s withdrawal of a controversial extradition bill failed to appease some activists, International media reported.

Lam on Wednesday withdrew a controversial extradition bill that would have allowed people to be sent to mainland China for trial in courts controlled by its ruling Communist Party and announced three other measures to help ease the crisis, Reuters reported.