Counter-attacks rage in Falun Gong 'banner war'
The spiritual movement and its opposition group are battling to cover up each other's posters, while residents complain they are littering the city
The banner war between Falun Gong and an organisation opposing the spiritual movement has escalated, with both groups trying to cover up each others' banners around the city.
Falun Gong believer Lau Wai-hing, who is responsible for the group's Causeway Bay booth near the Sogo department store, said eight of the group's booths have been disturbed by the Hong Kong Youth Care Association over the past several months.
"As far as our Causeway Bay booth is concerned, at first [the association] set up their booth next to us. But on January 27, at about 2am, more than 10 of them came and covered up our banners," Lau said at the Causeway Bay booth yesterday.
In Causeway Bay yesterday, the association had put up several banners surrounding Falun Gong's booth and banners. The banners reading, "Life is valuable, stay away from the evil Falun Gong", were about three metres tall.
Lau said her group's booths at eight locations, including Wong Tai Sin, Tung Chung and Star Ferry pier in Tsim Sha Tsui, have all been disturbed in this way.
She alleged the association was affiliated with the central government's liaison office and that it had been set up to crack down on Falun Gong.
However, an association member who gave his name as Lam denied the claims.