HK announces ban on protester face masks
Lam invokes colonial-era emergency powers in bid to quell unrest
HONG KONG: Hong Kong’s leader announced a ban yesterday on protesters wearing face masks, invoking colonialera emergency powers for the first time in 52 years, in a bid to quell months of violent antigovernment unrest.
Chief executive Carrie Lam said she had made the order under the Emergency Regulations Ordinances, a sweeping provision that grants her the ability to make any law during a time of emergency or public danger.
“We believe that the new law will create a deterrent effect against masked violent protesters and rioters, and will assist the police in its law enforcement,” Lam said.
But she stressed her use of the powers did not mean the government had officially declared a state of emergency.
Before the announcement, thousands of masked protesters – many of them office workers – marched through the city’s commercial district yesterday, promising to defy the new law.
“Youngsters are risking their lives, they don’t mind being jailed for 10 years, so wearing masks is not a problem,” a 34-year-old office worker wearing a surgical mask, who gave her first name as Mary, told AFP at a protest yesterday.
Critics decried the move was a major step towards authoritarianism for Hong Kong, which has been governed by China under a ‘one country, two systems’ framework since British colonial rule ended in 1997.
Prominent democracy activist Joshua Wong said the law ‘marks the beginning of the end of Hong
We believe that the new law will create a deterrent effect against masked violent protesters and rioters, and will assist the police in its law enforcement. Carrie Lam
Kong’.
“It is ironic that a colonial-era weapon is being used by the Hong Kong government and the Chinese Communist Party,” he told AFP.
Protesters have used face masks to avoid identification – along with yellow helmets, goggles and respirators to protect themselves from tear gas and police projectiles.
The ban came after Hong Kong was rocked by the worst violence of the year on Tuesday, the same day China celebrated 70 years of Communist Party rule.
The new law, which Lam said would take effect at midnight, threatens anyone wearing masks at legal and unsanctioned protests with up to one year in prison.
People can still wear masks in the street, but must remove them if asked to by police, with up to six months jail for those who refuse.
Exemptions are available for religious and medical reasons and for those who need masks to do their jobs – such as reporters using respirators to protect from tear gas.