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HONG KONG: Rival lawmakers squabbled in the Hong Kong legislature on Friday (May 8) followed by electing the chairman of a key committee, a new sign of mounting political tension as the COVID-19 pandemic dwindles in the city.
Lawmakers yelled at each other and pushed each other at the legislative council meeting.
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READ: China Says Hong Kong Will Never Be Quiet Unless Violent Protesters Withdraw
Some Democrats accused a line of guards, seeking to oust a pro-Beijing lawmaker who tried to chair the meeting in a move that Democrats said violated the procedure.
Pan-Democratic lawmaker Raymond Chan Chi-chuen falls as he confronts pro-China and security lawmakers during a meeting of the House Committee of the Legislative Council in Hong Kong, China on May 8, 2020. (Photo: Reuters / Tyrone Siu)
Videos on social media showed a legislator climbing a wall before being knocked down by security guards, while another legislator was dragged to the ground.
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The guards pulled several Democrats out of the chamber.
READ: China Says Hong Kong Will Never Be Quiet Unless Violent Protesters Withdraw
Beijing accused pro-democracy lawmakers in the former British colony of “malicious” filibuster to prevent some bills from passing a final vote, effectively crippling the legislature.
Democrats said the committee must first elect a president, before any legislation, including a bill that penalizes abuse of China’s national anthem, can be discussed.
Pan-Democratic lawmakers surround pro-China lawmaker Starry Lee during a meeting of the House Committee of the Legislative Council in Hong Kong, China on May 8, 2020. (Photo: Reuters / Tyrone Siu)
“I have a right to start this meeting,” said Starry Lee of the pro-establishment Hong Kong Democratic Alliance for Improvement, who attempted to chair the meeting from behind a wall of about two dozen guards in gray suits.
Democrats, who argue that filibustering in the legislature is legal and an established international practice, responded by shouting “Starry Lee, leave it!” And holding banners that read “ultra vires”, in Latin for acting “beyond one’s powers.”
Pan-Democratic lawmaker Raymond Chan Chi-chuen is being led by security during a meeting of the House Committee of the Legislative Council in Hong Kong, China on May 8, 2020. (Photo: Reuters / Tyrone Siu)
Hong Kong returned to China in 1997 with the guarantee of its much-appreciated freedoms, as an independent judiciary, which is not enjoyed on the mainland. Beijing rejects criticism that it is trying to erode those freedoms.
Anger against the government remains widespread in Hong Kong, which was rocked by often violent clashes between police and pro-democracy protesters in the second half of last year. Social distancing amid the pandemic has largely slowed protests since January, but protests are expected to resume later this year.
READ: Hong Kong Police detain veteran activists during protests last year
A dozen protesters gathered at a downtown mall on Friday and sang protest hymns, before police dispersed them.
Last May, disputes erupted in the legislature over a proposed extradition law that sparked the protests and was later eliminated.
The arrest of 15 activists in April, including veteran politicians, a publication magnate and senior lawyers, brought the protest movement back into the limelight, prompting condemnation from Washington and international rights groups.
China’s affairs office in Hong Kong warned on Wednesday that the city would never be quiet unless “violent black-clad protesters” were eliminated, describing them as a “political virus” seeking Beijing’s independence.
A war of words has escalated in recent weeks, with Beijing’s top official in Hong Kong urging the local government to work to enact national security legislation “as soon as possible”, fueling concerns about what many see as more. invasion of the liberties of the territory. .
