This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/oct/04/hong-kong-leader-threatens-harsher-crackdown-under-emergency-law
The article has changed 14 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Violence grips Hong Kong as Lam activates emergency powers | Violence grips Hong Kong as Lam activates emergency powers |
| (4 days later) | |
| Thousands of people swept into the streets of Hong Kong for a night of protests marked by violence after the government activated sweeping colonial-era powers for the first time in over half a century, using them to ban face masks. | Thousands of people swept into the streets of Hong Kong for a night of protests marked by violence after the government activated sweeping colonial-era powers for the first time in over half a century, using them to ban face masks. |
| The chief executive, Carrie Lam, also said harsher measures could be on the table if the protest movement continued, amid calls from police groups and pro-Beijing politicians for a citywide curfew, and discussion of delays to local elections set for November. | The chief executive, Carrie Lam, also said harsher measures could be on the table if the protest movement continued, amid calls from police groups and pro-Beijing politicians for a citywide curfew, and discussion of delays to local elections set for November. |
| The government appeared braced for more clashes between police and protesters before Lam’s announcement that she had invoked the emergency regulations ordinance and passed a law forbidding the use of face masks. | The government appeared braced for more clashes between police and protesters before Lam’s announcement that she had invoked the emergency regulations ordinance and passed a law forbidding the use of face masks. |
| Government employees were sent home early, all after-school activities were cancelled, and many shopping malls, banks and businesses shuttered. | Government employees were sent home early, all after-school activities were cancelled, and many shopping malls, banks and businesses shuttered. |
| Shortly after she finished a two-hour press conference, the first groups of protesters were filtering on to the streets of Hong Kong island. | Shortly after she finished a two-hour press conference, the first groups of protesters were filtering on to the streets of Hong Kong island. |
| After darkness fell, crowds set fire to two metro stations and vandalised shops and businesses considered pro-China; police responded with teargas, and in at least one case live ammunition. | After darkness fell, crowds set fire to two metro stations and vandalised shops and businesses considered pro-China; police responded with teargas, and in at least one case live ammunition. |
| There were reports that a student had been hit in the thigh by a bullet, after a group of protesters attacked an off-duty police officer. Hospital authorities said they had received a 14-year-old boy, who was in a serious condition. | There were reports that a student had been hit in the thigh by a bullet, after a group of protesters attacked an off-duty police officer. Hospital authorities said they had received a 14-year-old boy, who was in a serious condition. |
| At the press conference to announce the new anti-mask law, Lam said that if violence was not halted the government would not rule out any measures permitted by law. “Freedoms are not without limits,” she told journalists. | At the press conference to announce the new anti-mask law, Lam said that if violence was not halted the government would not rule out any measures permitted by law. “Freedoms are not without limits,” she told journalists. |
| The emergency regulations ordinance, created by British authorities to break up port strikes in 1922, had not been used for more than half a century, and never since the handover of Hong Kong to Chinese rule in 1997. | The emergency regulations ordinance, created by British authorities to break up port strikes in 1922, had not been used for more than half a century, and never since the handover of Hong Kong to Chinese rule in 1997. |
| It gives Lam virtually unlimited powers, although legal scholars said the government could be challenged in court if anything it did violated the Basic Law, the territory’s constitution. | It gives Lam virtually unlimited powers, although legal scholars said the government could be challenged in court if anything it did violated the Basic Law, the territory’s constitution. |
| “We have the duty to use all available means to stop the escalating violence and restore calmness in society,” Lam said in a combative press conference unveiling the new law. “The decision to invoke the emergency regulations ordinance is a difficult, but also a necessary one for public interest.” | “We have the duty to use all available means to stop the escalating violence and restore calmness in society,” Lam said in a combative press conference unveiling the new law. “The decision to invoke the emergency regulations ordinance is a difficult, but also a necessary one for public interest.” |
| Masks have become common among protesters who fear either arrest now, or retaliation from Hong Kong and Chinese authorities in the longer term if they are identified. But the ban seemed unlikely to deter crowds who have already defied multiple government bans to turn out on illegal marches and demonstrations. | Masks have become common among protesters who fear either arrest now, or retaliation from Hong Kong and Chinese authorities in the longer term if they are identified. But the ban seemed unlikely to deter crowds who have already defied multiple government bans to turn out on illegal marches and demonstrations. |
| Activists and rights groups warned the mask ban might pave the way for fiercer controls on public life, once the government had tested public and legal response to using the emergency ordinance. | Activists and rights groups warned the mask ban might pave the way for fiercer controls on public life, once the government had tested public and legal response to using the emergency ordinance. |
| Asked whether she would consider other measures proposed by pro-Beijing politicians, including a curfew or a delay to upcoming local elections, Lam said everything was on the table. | Asked whether she would consider other measures proposed by pro-Beijing politicians, including a curfew or a delay to upcoming local elections, Lam said everything was on the table. |
| “If the violence escalates, as a responsible government, we must make use of existing legal provisions,” she said. “We would not rule out any measures that we can reasonably implement under the current law.” | “If the violence escalates, as a responsible government, we must make use of existing legal provisions,” she said. “We would not rule out any measures that we can reasonably implement under the current law.” |
| Later she added: “Freedoms are not without limits, OK, so there are things which one has to strike a balance, dealing with a particular situation.” | Later she added: “Freedoms are not without limits, OK, so there are things which one has to strike a balance, dealing with a particular situation.” |
| Protesters, rights groups and academics denounced the use of emergency powers as a gross abuse of power, and a dangerous precedent for a city that for the last 20 years has enjoyed an unusual combination of civic freedoms without full democratic rule. | Protesters, rights groups and academics denounced the use of emergency powers as a gross abuse of power, and a dangerous precedent for a city that for the last 20 years has enjoyed an unusual combination of civic freedoms without full democratic rule. |
| “Today, she declared that the authoritarian government can take away your freedoms any time,” said Prof Ma Ngok, political scientist at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He added that the new law would likely prove impossible to enforce and counterproductive, provoking “an even larger and more violent resistance”. | “Today, she declared that the authoritarian government can take away your freedoms any time,” said Prof Ma Ngok, political scientist at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He added that the new law would likely prove impossible to enforce and counterproductive, provoking “an even larger and more violent resistance”. |
| The regulation came into effect at midnight on Friday and bars all face coverings, including paint, at any public gathering, on pain of a fine and a year in jail. | The regulation came into effect at midnight on Friday and bars all face coverings, including paint, at any public gathering, on pain of a fine and a year in jail. |
| In the testy press conference, one journalist put on his gas mask and protective goggles and shouted at Lam: “Would I be arrested if I am dressed like this while working?” Officials said there would be exemptions for anyone who covered their face for health, religious or professional reasons. | In the testy press conference, one journalist put on his gas mask and protective goggles and shouted at Lam: “Would I be arrested if I am dressed like this while working?” Officials said there would be exemptions for anyone who covered their face for health, religious or professional reasons. |
| A new Hong Kong extradition law is proposed, which would allow people to be transferred to mainland China for a variety of crimes. Residents fear it could lead to politically-motivated extraditions into China's much harsher judicial system. | A new Hong Kong extradition law is proposed, which would allow people to be transferred to mainland China for a variety of crimes. Residents fear it could lead to politically-motivated extraditions into China's much harsher judicial system. |
| Large public demonstrations start as thousands march in the streets to protest the extradition bill. | Large public demonstrations start as thousands march in the streets to protest the extradition bill. |
| Hong Kong lawmakers scuffle in parliament during a row over the law. | Hong Kong lawmakers scuffle in parliament during a row over the law. |
| Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam introduces concessions to the extradition bill, including limiting the scope of extraditable offences, but critics say they are not enough. | Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam introduces concessions to the extradition bill, including limiting the scope of extraditable offences, but critics say they are not enough. |
| The scale of protests continues to increase as more than half a million take to the streets. Police use rubber bullets and tear gas against the biggest protests Hong Kong has seen for decades. | The scale of protests continues to increase as more than half a million take to the streets. Police use rubber bullets and tear gas against the biggest protests Hong Kong has seen for decades. |
| Lam says that the proposed extradition law has been postponed indefinitely. | Lam says that the proposed extradition law has been postponed indefinitely. |
| The protests continue as demonstrators storm the Legislative Council, destroying pictures, daubing graffiti on the walls and flying the old flag of Hong Kong emblazoned with the British Union flag. The protests coincide with the 22nd anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong from the UK back to China. | The protests continue as demonstrators storm the Legislative Council, destroying pictures, daubing graffiti on the walls and flying the old flag of Hong Kong emblazoned with the British Union flag. The protests coincide with the 22nd anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong from the UK back to China. |
| Armed men in white t-shirts thought to be supporting the Chinese government attack passengers and passers-by in Yuen Long metro station, while nearby police take no action. | Armed men in white t-shirts thought to be supporting the Chinese government attack passengers and passers-by in Yuen Long metro station, while nearby police take no action. |
| 44 protestors are charged with rioting, which further antagonises the anti-extradition bill movement. | 44 protestors are charged with rioting, which further antagonises the anti-extradition bill movement. |
| By now the protest movement has coalesced around five key demands: complete withdrawal of the proposed extradition bill, withdrawal of the use of the word 'riot' in relation to the protests, unconditional release of arrested protesters and charges against them dropped, an independent inquiry into police behaviour and the implementation of genuine universal suffrage. | By now the protest movement has coalesced around five key demands: complete withdrawal of the proposed extradition bill, withdrawal of the use of the word 'riot' in relation to the protests, unconditional release of arrested protesters and charges against them dropped, an independent inquiry into police behaviour and the implementation of genuine universal suffrage. |
| The mass protests enter their fifteenth week, with police resorting to tear gas and water cannon against the demonstrators, and a wave of 'doxxing' using digital techniques to unmask police and protestors as a new front in the battle. | The mass protests enter their fifteenth week, with police resorting to tear gas and water cannon against the demonstrators, and a wave of 'doxxing' using digital techniques to unmask police and protestors as a new front in the battle. |
| Police shoot a protestor with live ammunition for the first time, as demonstrations continue on the day marking the 70th anniversary of the declaration of the People's Republic of China. | Police shoot a protestor with live ammunition for the first time, as demonstrations continue on the day marking the 70th anniversary of the declaration of the People's Republic of China. |
| The first charges are brought against protestors for covering their faces, after authorities bring in new laws banning face masks in order to make it easier to identify or detain protestors. | The first charges are brought against protestors for covering their faces, after authorities bring in new laws banning face masks in order to make it easier to identify or detain protestors. |
| Hong Kong officials spark outrage in the city as it revealed that nearly a third of the protestors arrested since June have been children. 750 out of the 2,379 people arrested were under 18, and 104 were under 16. | |
| Despite the sense of crisis, and the deployment of emergency powers, Lam insisted that the city was not in a state of emergency. The ordinance also covered situations where there was a “danger to public order”, she said. | Despite the sense of crisis, and the deployment of emergency powers, Lam insisted that the city was not in a state of emergency. The ordinance also covered situations where there was a “danger to public order”, she said. |
| The city was wracked by the worst violence of the four-month-old protest movement on Tuesday, as crowds fought pitched battles with police across the city and an officer shot a teenage student in the chest. | The city was wracked by the worst violence of the four-month-old protest movement on Tuesday, as crowds fought pitched battles with police across the city and an officer shot a teenage student in the chest. |
| The government’s response to that chaos and and an outpouring of grief and anger over the injured student, suggested a worrying lack of flexibility in tackling the city’s crisis, said Jean-Philippe Béja, research emeritus professor at the centre for international studies and research at Sciences Po in Paris. | The government’s response to that chaos and and an outpouring of grief and anger over the injured student, suggested a worrying lack of flexibility in tackling the city’s crisis, said Jean-Philippe Béja, research emeritus professor at the centre for international studies and research at Sciences Po in Paris. |
| “The only thing that they have come up with is using a police response to solve political problems,” he said. “This is a further restriction on HK’s freedoms, but the way it is implemented is more worrying than the law itself because it’s completely arbitrary.” | “The only thing that they have come up with is using a police response to solve political problems,” he said. “This is a further restriction on HK’s freedoms, but the way it is implemented is more worrying than the law itself because it’s completely arbitrary.” |
| • Additional reporting by Verna Yu | • Additional reporting by Verna Yu |
| Hong Kong | Hong Kong |
| Carrie Lam | Carrie Lam |
| China | China |
| Asia Pacific | Asia Pacific |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |