Hong Kong’s government announced a ban on wearing face masks at public gatherings.
Hong Kong’s embattled leader Carrie Lam on Friday invoked colonial-era emergency powers for the first time in more than 50 years in a dramatic move intended to quell escalating violence in the Chinese-ruled city.
Mrs Lam, speaking at a news conference, said a ban on face masks would take effect on Saturday (Oct 5), under the emergency laws that allow authorities to “make any regulations whatsoever” in the public interest.
Officials plan to use emergency legislation dating from the colonial era to invoke the measure, aimed at quelling anti-government protests.
The legislation, called the Emergency Regulations Ordinance, has not been used for over 50 years.
Hong Kong’s protests started in June, sparked by proposals to extradite suspected criminals to mainland China.
Critics feared this could undermine the city’s judicial independence and endanger dissidents.
The face mask ban was announced on Friday after a meeting of the Executive Council in which emergency laws are likely to be enacted.
The laws would grant Hong Kong’s leader, Carrie Lam, the authority to “make any regulations whatsoever which he [or she] may consider desirable in the public interest” in case of “emergency or public danger”.
Via The Strait Times
