Several groups have called on Taiwanese to join a demonstration against Hong Kong’s new ban on masks by wearing masks to school or work today.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam (林鄭月娥) on Friday announced a ban on wearing masks at public assemblies.
Under the ban, which took effect on Saturday, offenders could face up to one year in prison and a fine of up to HK$25,000 (US$3,189).
Photo: Reuters
The ban is “similar to having martial law in Hong Kong,” the groups — including the Hong Kong Outlanders and the Taiwan Youth Association for Democracy — wrote on Facebook.
They encouraged Taiwanese to wear masks today and to write slogans on the masks in support of the territory’s pro-democracy protesters.
They said that they hope today’s demonstration would “allow more people to see that Hong Kongers are living under the despotic rule of a totalitarian government.”
Taiwanese students are paying close attention to Hong Kong’s ban, Michelle Wu (吳奕柔), a Taiwan Youth Association for Democracy member and former National Taiwan University Student Association president, said yesterday.
She also said she was worried that yesterday’s rally in Hong Kong against the ban could lead the territory’s government to take strong action to disperse the protesters, resulting in more injuries.
A high-school student who is a member of the Taiwan Youth Association for Democracy said that by wearing masks to school today, local students could make more people in Taiwan aware that “Hong Kong people are still fighting,” she said.
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