Lawmakers brawl at Hong Kong parliament
Lawmakers get into scuffles at Hong Kong’s parliament amid efforts by some of them to interfere with the legislature’s routine procedures.
The brawl erupted on Friday as some MPs were trying to force the parliament into electing a chairman for a legislative committee before any laws could be put up for discussion, various news agencies reported.
The fight prompted creation of a two-row-thick security cordon behind which Starry Lee of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong was trying to chair the meeting, Reuters said.
The disorderly MPs were seen attacking other lawmakers as well as the security cordon before several of them were expelled from the building.
China has been outraged by occasional disturbance created at the parliament by some lawmakers, who have been resorting to filibuster and other disruptive actions to prevent the legislature from performing its duties.
Beijing has denounced the disruptive efforts as “malicious.”
The Asian financial hub was rocked in 2019 by months of massive anti-government protests over a now-withdrawn extradition bill that would have allowed suspected criminals to be sent from Hong Kong to mainland China for trial.
The protesters often heavily vandalized shops and public property and attacked citizens believed to be pro-government.
However, since the government imposed a ban on public meetings at the end of March to curb the coronavirus outbreak, Hong Kong has been relatively calm.
There was only one instance of unrest when Hong Kong riot police dispersed a crowd of 300 protesters, some wearing black, late last month.
Hong Kong has been governed under a “one-country, two-system” model since the city, a former British colony, was returned to China in 1997.
China says US still interfering in its affairs despite efforts to stabilize relations
Philippines, US kick off drills in disputed waters of South China Sea
AUKUS risks nuclear proliferation in Pacific: China
VIDEO | UK govt. Rwanda bill denounced as 'state-sponsored people trafficking'
VIDEO | Iran president visits Lahore, Pakistan’s cultural hub
North Korea: US military drills drive regional security into turmoil
UN agency chief for Palestinians urges probe into staff killings
200 days of Israeli war on Gaza and 200 headlines whitewashing genocide
VIDEO | 200 days of US-Israeli genocide
Iran’s security chief in Russia to underline Israel’s aggression
VIDEO | Smoke rises from Gaza as fighting continues
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
