Protests interrupt forum on CE's policy address

Protesters called for Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying’s resignation as he tried to gather public views for his upcoming policy address, at a public forum on Monday afternoon.

The forum was delayed by about 10 minutes as Leung and Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah waited to hear people’s priorities for the policy blueprint and budget.

About 20 activists from the League of Social Democrats, led by legislator Leung Kwok-hung, rushed close to a stage where the chief executive was sitting, at the Hong Kong International Trade and Exhibition Centre in Kowloon Bay.

They staged a loud protest, shouting slogans and waving placards demanding Leung Chun-ying resign over his illegal-structures scandal.

They were eventually moved to the rear of the venue.

The chief executive, who kept smiling as he watched the activists, said the protests would not stop him from holding public forums. He said he wanted to collect views on ways to tackle issues such as poverty, environmental problems and district affairs.

“People often broke the public order at forums I held during my election campaign,” Leung said. “But it will not affect my determination to exchange views with the public.”