After speaking to journalists, Joshua Wong, 22, laid flowers at a makeshift memorial outside a shopping mall where a protester fell to his death while hanging banners on Saturday night.
He said in a tweet: “Hello world and hello freedom. GO HONG KONG!! Withdraw the extradition bill. Carrie Lam step down. Drop all political persecutions.”
Mr Wong served half of a two-month sentence for contempt related to his involvement in the Umbrella Movement protests in 2014, which had called for a more democratic election process in the legislature.
His release and rallying call heaped further pressure on the former British colony’s chief executive amid mass protests over the bill.
Ms Lam announced on Saturday that the bill would be postponed indefinitely, but protesters are calling for it to be completely withdrawn amid fears that it threatens Hong Kong’s freedoms and legal autonomy under its special status since Beijing regained control in 1997.
Hong Kong extradition bill protests - In pictures
Mr Wong later addressed hundreds of protesters in Tamar Park, a day after an estimated two million people marched against the bill in Hong Kong’s biggest demonstration in 30 years.
“Carrie Lam needs to step down to take responsibility for the current state of affairs,” Mr Wong told the protesters.
He also railed against authorities for branding protesters who clashed with police a week earlier as rioters.
About a million people were estimated to have taken part in the protest, which descended into violence as police fired rubber bullets, tear gas and pepper spray.
Today, hundreds also gathered outside Ms Lam’s office and chanted “withdraw the bill”.
In a statement last night, she noted the demonstrations and said the government “understands that these views have been made out of love and care for Hong Kong”.
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It added: “The chief executive apologises to the people of Hong Kong for this and pledges to adopt a most sincere and humble attitude to accept criticisms.”
