Pepper spray, angry chants and naked fury greet Li Fei's visit
Pan-democrats expelled from forum where top Beijing official discussed election framework
Hecklers at a speech by top mainland official Li Fei were hauled away by security guards yesterday, while police used pepper spray to stop protesters from entering the venue of a forum to discuss the 2017 electoral framework set by Beijing.
"Shame on the central government, Beijing has lost credibility" the protesters at AsiaWorld Expo chanted, holding up signs reading "shameful", amid hissing from the Beijing loyalists who made up the majority of guests.
Li, deputy secretary general of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, had come to Hong Kong to explain Beijing's tough restrictions on the 2017 chief executive election. He looked stern and unperturbed by the interruptions.
Shame on the central government, Beijing has lost credibility
He continued his speech until the meeting was stopped while protesting pan-democrats were ejected.
Dressed in black and wearing yellow ribbons, about 20 pan-democrats started yelling slogans shortly after Li, who is also chairman of the Basic Law Committee, started his speech in the conference hall of the exhibition venue near the airport.
Beijing loyalists in the crowd clapped as pan-democrats were expelled, some dragged and others escorted quietly.
"We are here to reflect the anger of millions of Hongkongers who have waited for decades for democracy," Democratic Party chairwoman Emily Lau Wai-hing said as she was led away.
Watch: Protesters and lawmakers react to Beijing's dictum on leadership reform