Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam says city will support Gay Games, and calls lawmaker’s hate-filled outburst ‘unnecessarily divisive’
- Lawmaker Junius Ho branded event ‘disgraceful’ and said any revenue would be ‘dirty money’
- Chief executive says government’s position is to advance acceptance
Hong Kong’s leader has accused several pro-establishment lawmakers of dividing society and inciting hatred, after one called next year’s Gay Games “disgraceful” and the revenue it would bring to the city “dirty money”.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said on Tuesday that the quadrennial event promoted inclusiveness and diversity, and her government was prepared to rent venues to the organisers.
Lam was asked her opinion on controversial comments three pro-establishment lawmakers made during a meeting last week, when they suggested the government’s support for the Games was tantamount to backing same-sex marriage.
Junius Ho Kwan-yiu called the Games “disgraceful” and said any revenue the government generated from them would be “dirty money”. His remarks drew the ire of the gay community, the city’s equality watchdog, and even from his own camp.
“It is regretted that in the course of discussing this question in the Legislative Council individual members have become a bit emotional in expressing their view,” Lam said.