The first full sitting of the Provisional Legislative Council was greeted by angry protests from ousted legislators mourning last week's demise of the elected body.
Wearing black headbands and playing sombre music, the protesters chanted and waved banners outside the chamber to protest against the establishment of the Provisional Legislative Council.
Ousted legislator and solicitor Andrew Cheng Kar-foo said: 'The Sino-British Joint Declaration never mentioned the introduction of the provisional legislature, nor does the Basic Law.' The vice-chairman of the Democratic Party, Dr Yeung Sum, condemned the council as a 'rubber stamp' for the Executive Council, saying it would no longer represent the opinions of the public.
'We mourn the disbanding of our legislature in which members were elected by the Hong Kong people. We are calling for the dismissal of the provisional legislature.' Ten ousted legislators from the Democratic Party sat through the session in the gallery. They plan to attend every sitting.
