Hong Kong legislature plans review of security arrangements in wake of chaotic meeting over controversial extradition bill
- Some form of crowd control measures could be considered in the review
- It is important to have a safe environment for everyone, says Legco president Andrew Leung
Hong Kong’s legislature will review its security arrangements after clashes broke out during a meeting on a controversial extradition bill earlier this month, to see if access to the complex needs to be tightened.
Legislative Council president Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen said on Monday that the Legco commission, which oversees the council’s administrative side, would task the secretariat to review existing security measures.
The decision was made after chaos broke out during a meeting on the contentious bill which, if passed, would allow the transfer of fugitives to places that Hong Kong lacks an extradition deal with, including mainland China, Taiwan and Macau.
At least four lawmakers claimed they were injured during the clashes at the meeting on May 11, when the two rival camps tried to gain control of the bills committee.
The pan-democrats oppose the amendments amid fears people could be extradited to the mainland, where the fairness of the legal system is in question. But officials said the bill was needed to transfer a Hongkonger wanted over a murder case in Taiwan, and plug a legal loophole in the extradition system.
