Surrounded by security personnel, pro-Beijing lawmaker Chan Kin-por has taken the seat of the presiding member at a House Committee meeting 45 minutes before its start time. The last committee meeting on May 8 descended into chaos as democrats fought for control of the floor.
Chan is joined by 11 more security guards half an hour before the meeting's scheduled start time.
As the doors of the committee room open at 10:30am, democrats confront Chan urging him to leave as the "wrongful" head of the meeting, which is tasked with electing a chair.
Democrat Claudia Mo holds up a sign reading "[The Chinese Communist Party] tramples on [Hong Kong's] legislature" in front of Chan.
Democrats set up a cordon using black cloth and attempt to infiltrate the line of security guards.
Holden Chow from the pro-Beijing DAB party and Lam Cheuk-ting from the Democratic Party square off as opposing lawmakers and security guards tussle for control of the floor.
Pro-democracy lawmaker Ted Hui appears injured as Shiu Ka-chun urges security to make room, saying Hui "cannot breathe."
Pro-democracy lawmaker Eddie Chiu is taken out of the meeting room by security.
Hui attempts to bypass security and is taken away.
Democrats chant "Chan Kin-por is cheating" as Lam Cheuk-ting scatters pages from LegCo's Rules of Procedure onto the meeting room floor.
Democrat Claudia Mo temporarily bypasses the line of security guards to speak to Chan Kin-por, as Andrew Wan from the Democratic Party sits on the floor refusing to leave.
Pro-Beijing lawmakers have started a rival chant: "Chan Kin-por, good job."
Civic Party's Alvin Yeung is taken out of the meeting room by security.
Wu Chi-wai from the Democratic Party is taken out of the meeting room by security.
IT sector lawmaker Charles Mok is also taken out of the meeting room by security.
Ray Chan of People Power is taken out of the meeting room by security.
Pro-democracy lawmaker Helena Wong struggles as she is ejected from the meeting room.
With only a handful of democrats left in the meeting room, the House Committee moves ahead with the election of its chair, as LegCo staff hand out ballot papers.
The remaining lawmakers - largely from the pro-Beijing camp - cast their votes in the election of the House Committee chair, as Labour Party lawmaker Fernando Cheung continues to chant "Chan Kin-por is cheating."
DAB favourite Starry Lee has been elected House Committee chair, winning an overwhelming majority of the votes, as democrat Claudia Mo continues to shout "trash." Rival pro-Beijing lawmakers complete her sentence by chanting: "Claudia Mo."
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2/ Hongkongers who travel to 30 European countries including France and Germany will need to apply for prior authorisation from the first half of next year, the EU has said.
3/ The new policy requires visitors to Europe from 59 currently visa-exempt countries or territories, including Hong Kong and Macau, to apply online for the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) ahead of their trips.
1/ Exclusive: The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has not arranged an election study tour to Taiwan this year, despite running previous trips to witness the self-ruled island’s presidential and parliamentary polls.
2/ The university cited periodic “changes in destinations.” However, a source told HKFP that manpower shortage, as well as politics, were among the considerations.
Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
3/ A source at the Centre of Development and Resources for Students said they were unaware of any direct pressure, but that they felt they should be "careful in this kind of political atmosphere."
1/ Facebook group Free Food Flow, which facilitates food swaps between Hongkongers, began as a university project 10 years ago. It now has more than 60,000 members.
2/ Members donate food items - including homemade cakes, leftovers, pre-packaged snacks, takeaway food from fast food chains that people could not collect in time, even one single apple - for others to collect.
3/ Food waste accounted for 30 per cent of all municipal solid waste dumped in the city’s landfills in 2021, according to the Environmental Protection Department. That is an average of 3,437 tonnes of food waste per day.
2/ Small instant-photography stalls have long been part of the vibrant scene at Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, frequented by tourists – and sometimes locals – who want high-resolution snapshots of themselves against Hong Kong’s iconic skyline and Victoria Harbour.
3/ But the government recently stopped issuing licences to photographers offering such services outside the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, meaning all those operating there must now do so unofficially.
2/ Hong Kong's Covid-19 face mask mandate was in place for more than 2.5 years, leaving some young children with no memory of life without masks.
3/ “Masks have become a part of them. It will take time for them to get used to life without masks,” kindergarten principal Reann Lau told HKFP, “especially the younger ones.”
Chow Hang-tung, Tang Ngok-kwan and Tsui Hon-kwong appeared on Saturday at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts in front of designated national security judge, Principal Magistrate Peter Law. They now face up to six months in jail and a HK$100,000 fine. hongkongfp.com/2023/03/04/bre…
At next Sat's sentencing, the trio face up to six months in jail and a HK$100k fine.
Principal Magistrate Peter Law ruled that the notice issued by police was legal, & that only the info at the point when the police chief made his decision was relevant to the matter of legality.