Lam endures barrage of criticisms

HONG KONG: This island- state’s embattled leader endured a barrage of criticisms at a town hall meeting Thursday night that laid bare anger coursing through the city after months of huge, sometimes violent prodemocracy protests.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam faced more than two hours of grilling at a public “dialogue session," the first time her pro

Beijing administration has sat down with its critics in 16 consecutive weeks of unrest.

Millions have hit the streets while hardcore activists have clashed repeatedly with police in the biggest challenge to China’s rule since the city’s handover from Britain in 1997.

During the evening Lam dismissed accusations that the meeting was a public- relations exercise, saying she was there to listen as she admitted trust in her government had “fallen off a cliff.” “The biggest responsibility lies with myself, I won’t shirk the responsibility,” she said.

More than 20,000 people applied to attend Thursday’s meeting, with authorities picking 150 people in a lottery.

Questions were chosen at random and, compared to the angry demonstrations on Hong Kong’s streets this summer, the atmosphere remained cordial inside the sports stadium where the gathering took place.

But thousands massed outside the venue to chant slogans.

Lam received little sympathy from audience members who rounded on her with speech after speech highlighting a litany of complaints towards her administration.

Most called on her to launch an independent commission of inquiry into allegations of police brutality and how the protests have been handled.