Pressure groups demanding the withdrawal of the highly divisive extradition bill have vowed to press ahead with their march and strike plans over the next two days, despite the government backing down over the legislation.

The Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF) continued to drum up support for Sunday’s march, as the government paused the passage of a bill that, if passed, would allow the city to transfer fugitives to jurisdictions it lacks an extradition arrangement with, including mainland China.

Speaking hours before Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor announced the decision to suspend the legislation, the group’s convenor Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit said he did not have high hopes regarding what Lam would say, and added that Sunday’s march would proceed as planned.

“Hongkongers are very clear that mainland [authorities] like to act tough first, and then drag [the process] on. This is their tactic,” he said.

“Hongkongers will not fall into such a trap. Unless the extradition bill is withdrawn one day, Hongkongers will always remember the pain.”

Opposition to the bill has been mounting, prompting 1.03 million marchers to protest last Sunday, according to the CHRF, which organised the protest, while police put the turnout at 240,000.

Last weekend’s march was followed by protests on Wednesday, which led to the disturbances around the Legislative Council in Admiralty, during which police fired more than 150 rounds of tear gas and about 20 beanbag rounds, as well as “several” rounds of rubber bullets.

Eleven people were arrested in connection with the protests, which saw about 80 people injured, including 22 police officers.

Sham said the protests were also intended as a condemnation of what he said was excessive force used by police on Wednesday against protesters, and a demand for officials to withdraw their characterisation of Wednesday’s disturbances as a “riot”.

“We have to bring justice for the injured and the protest,” Sham said.

Although the group has not yet received a notice of no objection for the march, Sham said he believed police would ultimately allow it to go ahead.

A plan for a mass strike on Monday is also being considered, in an attempt to increase the pressure on the government.

The pro-democracy Confederation of Trade Unions said it would continue to push for a citywide strike because a “pause is absolutely unacceptable”, according to chairwoman Carol Ng Man-yee.

“Seventy to 80 per cent of our member unions have sent a letter or verbal notifications about the strike to their employers, requesting that staff going on strike on Monday should not suffer any consequence,” Ng said.

Ng said the union’s demands for the withdrawal of the bill, and the resignation of major government leaders, had been clear and determined.

“A pause is absolutely unacceptable and will not solve the problem, particularly after the government cracked down the protest on June 12 in such a violent way,” Ng said.

“The bill must be withdrawn, and the four officials, the chief executive, the secretary for justice, the secretary for security, and the commissioner of police, must step down to take responsibility.”

The Professional Teachers’ Union, which called on teachers across the city to boycott lecturing but remain on duty to discuss the ongoing controversy with students, was to meet on Saturday afternoon to discuss whether their protest would continue.

Meanwhile, a fund named the Anti-Extradition Protest Trust has been set up to help those injured or arrested in the recent protests.