First protesters face prison for defying mask ban

TWO protesters — an 18-year-old student and a 38-year-old woman — today became the first people to be charged with violating Hong Kong’s new ban on wearing masks at rallies.

The ban came into force on Saturday under emergency powers aimed at quashing pro-democracy protests.

Activists wore masks outside court today, above, as the two were freed on bail after also being charged with taking part in unlawful assembly, punishable by up to five years’ jail.

A mask conviction means up to a year in jail and a fine. Activists threw petrol bombs yesterday as police used tear gas, and today officials warned of “a very dangerous situation”.

AT LEAST nine people died when a boat carrying dozens of migrants sank off the coast of Lampedusa, Italy’s coastguard said today. The authority said rescuers had picked up 22 survivors from the boat after an alert was received last night that a vessel carrying about 50 people was in difficulty. A search operation is underway for other survivors. Vessels from the coastguard and customs police found the boat overturned in rough seas about six nautical miles from Lampedusa. The coastguard confirmed that two bodies had been recovered.