HK bans masks to quell rallies
Lam invokes rare emergency powers
HONG KONG: As the Hong Kong government tries to quell increasingly violent protests, its embattled leader yesterday invoked emergency powers to ban face masks, deploying a rarely used law that could inflame tensions.
By yesterday evening, thousands of people, many of them wearing masks, had swarmed the city’s Central business district and other areas, chanting antigovernment slogans.
While the ban could keep more peaceful protesters off the streets, it could also incite a combative core of protesters and prompt more confrontations.
HONG KONG: Hong Kong invoked colonial-era emergency powers for the first time in more than half a century to ban face masks for protesters in a bid to quell months of violent unrest.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced the measure yesterday during a press briefing with 16 members of her cabinet, citing a rise in violence by protesters in recent weeks. The prohibition on face masks will have a “deterrent effect” to stop violence at protests and help police enforce the law, she told reporters, adding that the measure didn’t mean Hong Kong was under a state of emergency.
“The violence is destroying Hong Kong,” Ms Lam said. “We must save the present Hong Kong and the future Hong Kong.”
“As a responsible government we have duty to use all available means to stop the escalating violence and restore calmness in society,” she added. “We believe the new law will create a deterrent effect against masked, violent protesters and rioters and will assist the police.”
The face mask has become a symbol of resistance among protesters who fear retribution if they are identified: China has already applied pressure to businesses such as Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd to fire employees who have participated in demonstrations.
The move to invoke colonial-era emergency powers — last used more than 50 years ago — comes shortly after a protester was shot in violent demonstrations that once again shook the city on Oct 1, as President Xi Jinping celebrated 70 years of Communist party rule in Beijing.
Protesters already hit the streets yesterday in anticipation of the announcement, and vowed to continue with demonstrations. Hong Kong stocks fell ahead of the briefing, before paring slightly as officials spoke.
“This is like opening a Pandora’s box — who knows what will come next after this ban?” said one man protesting in central Hong Kong yesterday afternoon, who only gave his surname Lau.
“But the government should know that if it insists, and doesn’t listen to the people, we won’t give up and will keep the government accountable. We will continue our fight.”
First passed by the British government in 1922 to quell a seamen’s strike in Hong Kong’s harbour, the emergency law was last used by the colonial administration to help put down riots that rocked the trading hub in 1967.
Denounced by protest leaders as a form of martial law, it could give the government greater leeway to arrest citizens, censor publications, shut off communications networks and search premises without warrants, among other measures.
“Put simply, if there’s no escalation of violence, we don’t need to come out with any new measures,” Ms Lam said.
“But if violence escalates, we need to maintain law and order in Hong Kong, we need to make sure that people can conduct their lives as usual. Then we’ll need to continue to find several ways to deal with the situation.”
Police fired tear gas and pepper spray at protesters in the residential area of Tai Koo on Thursday night as demonstrations erupted at 11 sites and shopping centres across the city following the reports, the SCMP said.
There were also calls for a protest in the Central business district at 12.30pm yesterday.
In China, Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the Communist Party-backed Global Times newspaper, said in a tweet that Western countries shouldn’t apply “nasty double standards” when reacting to the ban.
Hong Kong Security Secretary John Lee said there is similar legislation in the US, France, Germany, Spain and Canada.
The law would be difficult to enforce, the Post reported, and could spur court challenges as a rights violation. One police inspector, who requested anonymity, told the Post that the move would stir up more trouble.
“I’m terrified of the possible backlash,” said Claudia Mo, a pro-democracy lawmaker. “The young are saying they’re prepared to die for this cause. They’ll still be out there wearing their masks. And the police will charge at them.”