Hong Kong’s legislature yesterday again descended into chaos as pro-Beijing politicians blocked the swearing-in of two new lawmakers who want a split from China, in an increasingly divided Legislative Council.
The incident occurred as fears grow in the territory that Beijing is tightening its grip, fueling an independence movement in Hong Kong.
Rival lawmakers clashed in a heated shouting match after the pro-Beijing camp walked out of the swearing-in session.
The walkout led to the meeting being canceled, preventing pro-independence lawmakers Yau Wai-ching (游蕙禎) and Baggio Leung (梁頌恆) from taking the oath that would allow them to take up their seats.
In the ensuing confrontations, one veteran pro-democracy legislator threw slices of luncheon meat at his opponents while another was surrounded by security after turning China and Hong Kong flags displayed on pro-Beijing lawmakers’ desks upside down.
Meanwhile, pro-Beijing lawmakers chanted “Apologize,” demanding Yau and Leung say sorry for their failure to take the oath properly at last week’s swearing-in ceremony.
The pair had their oaths rejected on Wednesday last week after they draped themselves in flags proclaiming “Hong Kong is not China.”
Both refused to pronounce China properly, and Yau was heard replacing the words “the People’s Republic of China” with “the People’s refucking of Chee-na.”
They were given permission to retake their oaths yesterday, but the session was abandoned after the pro-Beijing walkout left an insufficient number of legislators in the chamber.
“If they want people to respect their oaths, they have to express regret over their behavior last week and to apologize to all Chinese around the world,” pro-Beijing lawmaker Priscilla Leung (梁美芬) told reporters.
Hundreds of pro-Beijing supporters waved Chinese flags and stamped on pictures of the two outside the council building.
The pair said they wanted to complete their oaths, but would not apologize for last week’s behavior.
“We are empowered by the people to enter the Legco [Legislative Council],” Baggio Leung said.
Leung and Yau are part of a new wave of lawmakers advocating self-determination and independence who won seats in the council — Hong Kong’s lawmaking body — in polls last month.
Five legislators, including the pair, had their oaths rejected at last week’s swearing-in.
One pro-Beijing lawmaker and one pro-democracy lawmaker, whose oaths were declared invalid last week, were allowed to retake them yesterday morning.
The Beijing camp then walked out, forcing the session to be abandoned before Yau, Leung and pro-democracy teacher Lau Siu-lai (劉小麗), who read her oath at a snail’s pace last week, took the stand.
The chaotic scenes followed a late-night court bid on Tuesday by Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying (梁振英) and Hong Kong Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen (袁國強) to block Yau and Baggio Leung from taking up their seats.
The court refused to grant an injunction against yesterday’s oath-taking, but gave permission for a judicial review into whether the pair should be disqualified, putting their future as lawmakers into question.
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