Hong Kong legislature suspended amid chaos over protests
HONG KONG (Reuters) — Pro-democracy lawmakers in Hong Kong heckled the city’s embattled leader and called for her to step down on Thursday during a legislative session that was repeatedly suspended as several politicians were manhandled out of the chamber.
It was the second day of chaos in Hong Kong’s Legislative Council as leader Carrie Lam tried to answer questions about her annual policy address, which she was forced to deliver by video link on Wednesday after similar disruption in the assembly.
The turmoil in the legislature underscores the deepening political rift in the city, with no end in sight to the often violent anti-government protests that began in opposition to an extradition bill but have evolved into a broad pro-democracy movement.
In the latest street violence, masked assailants wielding knives and hammers attacked the leader of one the biggest pro-democracy groups in the Chinese-ruled city on Wednesday.
Rights group Amnesty International urged authorities to investigate what it described as a horrifying attack that would send a chilling signal.
Lam, who is backed by China’s government, announced measures on Wednesday to tackle the city’s chronic housing shortage in her address after she was jeered in the chamber.
Again on Thursday, prodemocracy lawmakers shouted for Lam to resign, saying she had blood on her hands.
They also called on her to address protesters’ key demands — something her policy address largely ignored.
About a dozen members of the assembly were ejected, shouting and waving placards as security guards marched them out.
Lam stood silently amid the ruckus, offering no response to calls for her resignation and a calm defense of her policies.
“I hope the lawmakers can understand one policy address can’t help us jump out of our mindset,” Lam said, then pointed to housing reforms and living and transport subsidies announced on Wednesday.
“I have mentioned that we will be humble, listen to different voices and up an expert commission to find a way out of the current situation we are facing,” she said.