DEMONSTRATORS blocked rush-hour traffic for an hour in Central yesterday morning, protesting at the Government's decision to demolish their illegal rooftop homes in Tsuen Wan. Armed with stoves and food to represent their homelessness, the 40 protesters unfurled banners, laid down in the middle of Garden Road and shouted taunts and slogans at police and officials. The families live in illegal rooftop structures on buildings in Tsuen Wan. 'We came down here today to try to speak to the head of the Buildings Department. It was our last resort,' a woman protester said. 'The Government has done nothing to help us. Where will we live when they demolish our home?' she said. She claimed the police punched her in the chest when she tried to stop an officer assaulting her husband. Twenty-two protesters - 13 men and nine women - were dragged, kicking and screaming to police vans. As the vans drove away the protesters could be heard banging on the doors, bellowing: 'The police beat us, the police beat us.' About 30 protesters returned to the Buildings Department office at Garden Road last night and stopped director Helen Yu Lai Ching-ping getting into her car as she was leaving. They made demands for a further reprieve which were rejected by Mrs Yu. The impromptu meeting lasted for 15 minutes before Mrs Yu was escorted away by police. Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands Branch, Tony Eason, said the Government would continue to crack down on illegal rooftop squatters. Mr Eason said the policy was to clear all illegal squatters from hillsides and rooftops by 1996. 'It is branch policy that when people are established on an illegal roof structure they are at serious risk to others and to themselves and must be moved,' Mr Eason said. 'We have given them as much notice as possible.' According to the Government, notice of removal was given to the 24 illegal households in June last year and then again in October. Two of the flats are being demolished and the rest are due to be demolished on December 19, but the families say they cannot be out by then and have no place to go. 'It's my own property. I paid $92,000 to the previous owner nine years ago,' a protester said. 'We went through legal procedures to buy the property. I still have the solicitor's letter. How can it be illegal? I pay rates and property tax, it's just not fair.' But officials maintain that paying rates does not certify that a household is legal. 'Paying rates is different and doesn't entitle them to any rights,' Assistant Director of Buildings (control division), Edward Lok Che-leung said. 'These are illegal structures and we will not be offering any direct compensation. The cost of tearing down the structures will be shouldered by the owner of the roof.' To receive public housing the illegal rooftop residents must qualify under two conditions. First, they must have occupied the illegal flat since June 1, 1982, and lived continuously in Hong Kong for more than seven years. If they do not meet these regulations they will be moved to temporary housing in the New Territories.
