Hong Kong’s riot police fired pepper pellets yesterday, reportedly to disperse protestors in the financial district expressing discontent about Beijing’s proposed national security laws.
Anti-government demonstrations returned, according to a «Reuters» report, which led riot police to fire pepper pellets yesterday in the heart of Hong Kong’s financial center.
The response was a stark contrast from the similarly peaceful and much larger demonstrations that were effectively held and evidently more tolerated in the central business district last year.
In October for example, workers took the street after the day an unprecedented six live rounds were fired by the Hong Kong police including two shots that hit a 21-year old and an 18-year old protestor. Earlier in August 2019, hundreds of professionals – including nearly 400 workers from 34 financial institutions such as HSBC, Standard Chartered, Citibank, Deutsche Bank, J.P. Morgan, and UBS – were able to organize a sizable strike to express discontent with Hong Kong authorities’ handling of anti-government protests.
National Anthem Law
In addition to security legislation, Hong Kong’s legislature yesterday also held a hearing for a bill that would criminalize any disrespect towards China’s national anthem – a move viewed as a further perceived threat against civil liberties such as the freedom of speech.
Should the law be passed, Hong Kong would regionally join the likes of Singapore and Malaysia which both legally require individuals to stand up «as a mark of respect» whenever their respective national anthems are being played amongst other requirements. Thailand also has restrictions to free speech – lèse majesté – which makes it «illegal to defame, insult or threaten the king, queen, heir-apparent or regent» and this is a written law originating from 1908.
