Chinese authorities seize thousands of rolls of toilet paper printed with Hong Kong leader's face
Democrats left scrambling to find replacement products to sell at Lunar New Year fair booths
Mainland authorities yesterday confiscated some 7,600 rolls of toilet paper featuring the face of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, which the Democratic Party had planned to sell at this year's Lunar New Year fair.
They also seized 20,000 packets of tissues bearing more images of Hong Kong's top official.
Democrats last year grossed about HK$100,000 by selling 4,000 rolls of toilet paper decorated with the chief executive's face, which were manufactured by the same company.
But Kelvin Lai King-wai, the head of the Democrats' creative media division, expressed surprise that the authorities were able to track down their latest order. He said Democrats had placed it under the name of someone who was not a member of the party, and had not revealed their identity in the process.
"The stocks had been packed and were to be shipped to Hong Kong today, but the mainland officers suddenly inspected the factory and took away all the boxes," Lai said yesterday, adding that they also sealed the factory.
Last year's fair was the first time the Democrats had sold the novelty loo paper. It proved a hit but yielded little profit. This year, it was hoped the toilet rolls would be a good money-earner.
"Apparently Beijing has escalated its attack on the Democratic Party after the Occupy movement in all ways. They hope to mute our voice with such suppression and eventually allow only pro-government voices in the city," Lai said. "But I am sure these attempts will not succeed as we will only be more vocal on the democracy cause in future."
The confiscation puts the party in a tricky financial position as the fair is only a week away.
Lai said the party spent HK$70,000 to secure two booths in Victoria Park, where the fair will be held, and another HK$20,000 on a deposit for the toilet paper and tissues. He said the party was trying to line up a local manufacturer for a last-minute run of replacement rolls.
Lai said the factory had printed toilet paper depicting former chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen and United States President Barack Obama without any problems.
"Leung Chun-ying is the main culprit behind the city's political impasse over the past two years and he should step down because of this," Lai said. "We hope to spread this message to Hongkongers through the products in the Lunar New Year fair."
