Ex-president Yang avoids protests
Former mainland president Yang Shangkun escaped protests yesterday after police dragged demonstrators away from Government House.
The retired leader arrived in a van owned by China Travel Services for a lunch hosted by Tung Chee-hwa.
Mr Yang and his entourage arrived at Government House about 11 am, 15 minutes ahead of the protesters.
Mr Yang, 90, is on the second day of a visit, details of which have remained secret. He was a key figure behind the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. As he ate with Mr Tung, about 10 protesters shouted 'Yang Shangkun, buzz off' and 'track responsibility for the massacre'.
They threw eggs on to the ground outside the front gate.
Also attending the lunch were Financial Secretary Sir Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, Secretary for Justice Elsie Leung Oi-sie and Provisional Legislative Council President Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai.
The protesters shouted for about 15 minutes before being dragged away by police officers. They were held in a lorry at the back of the property and later released, joining another protest outside the back gate.
