Most amenities vandalised in 2019 protests fixed
Most of the public amenities vandalised during the 2019 anti-government protests have been fixed and authorities have also removed temporary fencing on six bridges after a review.
Acting Secretary for Transport and Logistics Liu Chun-san said in a written reply to the Legislative Council yesterday that almost all damage in the city had been fixed.
Authorities revealed in 2020 that the bill for repairing damage caused by protesters over the seven months of social unrest had hit HK$65 million.
MTR Corporation property was a frequent target for vandals during the political turmoil, as they set fire to station entrances and smashed ticket machines.
The railway operator – in which the government is the majority shareholder – has spent HK$500 million on repairs.
There was damage to 85 heavy railway stations and 63 light rail stops, as well as 20 lifts or escalators and 1,320 rubbish bins.
Destruction across the city included 740 sets of traffic lights, 22,000 square metres of paving blocks on footpaths, 60km of
740
Sets of traffic lights that were destroyed across the city during the seven months of anti-government demonstrations
railings on walkways, 2,700 traffic bollards and 300 traffic signs.
About 700 highway structures, 1,500 lamp posts, bus stops and facilities at public transport interchanges were also targeted.
Liu said police and other departments would carry out regular reviews and fit or remove protective devices on facilities if the situation and public safety required action.
“For example, the Transport Department installed protective devices for the traffic signal controllers and protective meshes for pedestrian traffic signal heads at some major road junctions,” he added.
“After coordination with the police force, as well as careful consideration and balancing of factors such as the installation and maintenance costs and the social conditions, the department has … removed the protective devices installed earlier.”
Liu said some temporary fencing on vehicle or pedestrian bridges, to stop people throwing missiles onto roads to disrupt traffic, was removed after “coordination with the police and taking into account various factors”. They included those at Lion Rock Tunnel Road in Kowloon City, the Eastern Harbour Tunnel in Kwun Tong and Nam Cheong Street in Sham Shui Po. The Highways Department installed temporary fencing at about 60 footbridges to protect the public over the period.
Liu said authorities had also examined materials used for public works and strengthened their design to minimise the risk of damage. Changes included the replacement of some paving blocks with more durable concrete or the application of joint stabilising sealer and the reinforcement of railing connectors. Suppliers have also been asked to use tougher, fire-resistant materials in the manufacture of new recycling bins.
Protesters often used railings as roadblocks and dug up paving bricks to use as missiles in clashes with police during the unrest, which started in June 2019.
The protests were sparked by an extradition bill, later withdrawn, but the campaign grew into a wider anti-government movement. Yau Tsim Mong suffered the most damage among the 18 districts during the unrest – 121 sets of traffic lights in the area suffered damage and 9,900 square metres of paving slabs were dug up.