A call to remove a large flowerbed, which activists say interferes with demonstrations outside the central government's liaison office in Western, was rejected yesterday.
The Central and Western District Council voted down a motion, submitted by four Democratic Party district councillors, to remove the bed.
'It does not serve as a flowerbed any more, as police sometimes use it as an action zone and they sometimes make it a press zone. The plants are trampled,' said Democratic Party district councillor Kam Nai-wai, who put the motion forward.
The addition of the flowerbed had reduced the width of a footpath from nine metres to three metres, he said. . However, Democratic Party district councillor Cheng Lai-king said the footpath shrank to a width of only 1.8 metres when police enforce restrictions during protests.
The other 14 district councillors voted against the motion, saying residents had the right to enjoy a pleasant living environment
The owners' committees of nine residential buildings near the office signed a letter, which was submitted to the council, in favour of keeping the flowerbed. Three journalists' associations and the Civil Human Rights Front submitted letters supporting its removal.