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Agnes Lam

Gay activists scuffled with security guards and police at a Red Cross function yesterday during a protest against what they said were discriminatory questions on new forms at blood donor centres.

Chaos broke out when guards tried to stop about 20 activists from approaching the stage during a ceremony marking World Red Cross Day 2001 at Tak Fok Plaza in Kowloon Bay. Up to 10 police officers also intervened and tried to mediate between the guards and protesters.

Secretary for Health and Welfare Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong and local Red Cross chairman Yang Ti Liang, a former chief justice, were forced to cut short their stay and left through a back door fire exit.

The alliance, led by Aids Concern Rainbow Hong Kong and the Movement Against Discrimination, said the Red Cross had no business asking on the forms whether donors were gay or had worked as prostitutes.

In the past, they would have been rejected if answering yes, but under the changes their donations will still be accepted.

However, the Red Cross does not guarantee the blood will be used if the question is answered with a 'yes'. The new forms will come into use at the end of this month. The forms say blood donated may or may not be used if an individual answers 'yes'.

'What does that mean?' asked alliance spokesman Tommy Chen Noel.

'They reserve the right to throw away blood donated by gay men, just because they tick 'yes' when asked if they are gay? If not, then why are they asking such questions? For internal screening?'

Mr Chen said sexual orientation was irrelevant to blood safety and the questions were misleading because they labelled gay men and sex workers 'sick people'.

Currently, all blood collected is tested for hepatitis B and C, syphilis and HIV. A Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service spokeswoman said this was global practice.

Hong Kong Red Cross secretary-general Christine Fong Mang-seng said: 'The Red Cross has no intention of discriminating against any group of people in society. Checking gay men's sexual activities is a practice worldwide.'

But legislator Cyd Ho Sau-lan, of The Frontier, said the questions could be discriminatory. The Red Cross should screen out infected blood, but not question who was gay, she said. Legislators have already questioned the new forms and Red Cross representatives will meet them again on May 22.



Scuffles break out with police and guards over new Red Cross questionnaire for blood donors