Hong Kong leader abandons policy speech after heckles from lawmakers
hong kong — Hong Kong’s embattled leader abandoned a State of the Union-style speech on Wednesday after she was heckled by rowdy opposition lawmakers during chaotic scenes inside the city’s legislature.
The speech by chief executive Carrie Lam was billed as an attempt to win hearts and minds after four months of seething prodemocracy protests.
Instead, it laid bare the intense polarisation coursing through the semi-autonomous financial hub after weeks of huge and increasingly violent rallies. And it was swiftly dismissed by protesters who called for a new rally on Sunday.
Lam tried twice to begin her policy address inside the Legislative Council which had opened for a new session some three months after it was trashed by protesters.
But pro-democracy lawmakers, a minority of the pro-Beijing stacked legislature, shouted her down and called for her resignation. Lam instead released a pre-recorded video, the first time a Hong Kong leader has been unable to deliver the annual address in person since the tradition began in 1948.
In it, she announced plans to increase housing and land supply in a city that has one of the least affordable property markets in the world, as well as various subsidies. “I firmly believe that Hong Kong will be able to ride out this storm and move on,” she said.
But the announcement gave no concessions to protesters.
“So much has happened on Hong Kong’s streets but Lam has been either hiding in her abyss or acting like a wax figure,” pro-democracy lawmaker Tanya Chan said.
“We urge Carrie Lam to stop destroying Hong Kong, respond to the five demands, and step down,” added the Civil Human Right Front, a non-violent protest group behind a series of marches. —
We urge Carrie Lam to stop destroying Hong Kong, respond to the five demands, and step down Civil Human Right Front