Large crowd gathers in Hong Kong to protest against noisy middle-aged women ‘dama’ singers from mainland China shattering peace of Tuen Mun Park
- Several dama had to retreat and hide in a public toilet at Tuen Mun Park for more than two hours while police stood between them and the protesters
- Atmosphere was hostile and at one stage police used pepper spray on a group that spilled out onto the road outside V City mall
Nearly 2,000 Hongkongers took to the streets of Tuen Mun on Saturday to protest, not over the extradition bill this time but against middle-aged women from mainland China who have been upsetting residents with their singing and dancing in the neighbourhood park.
One dama, or “big mama”, as the singers are disparagingly known, had to retreat and hide in a public toilet at Tuen Mun Park for more than two hours while police stood between the woman and the protesters.
The atmosphere was hostile and at one stage police used pepper spray on a group that spilled out onto the road outside the V City mall to stop a man they accused of antagonising them as he tried to flee the scene in a taxi.
The city had never seen such a huge turnout against the dama – the growing legion of women, usually middle aged, who gather in mainland parks and squares to dance to often deafeningly loud music.
“The Leisure and Cultural Services Department and police should have handled uncontrolled noise according to the law and regulations. But there has been no law enforcement,” said Michael Mo Kwan-Tai, convenor of a Facebook page named Tuen Mun Park Sanitation Concern Group.
“So we spontaneously started this to let our voices be heard in a peaceful, sensible and non-violent way.”
Complaints against the dama, who regularly occupy the park’s self-entertainment zones, include that they blast out their songs through loudspeakers, dance suggestively while skimpily dressed and even engage in sexual activity with park-goers.
They often receive donations for their performances.
Mo said the park’s self-entertainment zones should be axed.
“These zones are close to the playground and cause a lot of discomfort for the children and parents,” he said. “They shouldn’t be there.”
The march, which was organised through online platforms, started from San Wo Lane Playground and headed to the park, a distance of about 1km, at 3pm under a scorching sun.
Police opened all of Tuen Mun Heung Tsui Wui Road about 30 minutes into the rally because of the size of the crowd, which included protesters of all ages.
“Reclaim Tuen Mun, give me a quiet park!” and “Support the police’s fight against prostitution!” were among protesters’ chants.
Police said there were 1,800 protesters at the peak of the rally.
Issac Lee, a Tuen Mun resident for more than 30 years, marched with his family including his granddaughter.
“I don’t live next to the park, but every time I pass by, even across the street, the noise is really loud,” he said. “It wasn’t like this when I was young. But in the past 10 years, there is always noise. It can be seven days a week.”
He said the performers were not locals and travelled to the park because of the zones. “The district council hasn’t done anything to solve this issue,” he said. “So I came out with my family today.”
Winnie Lee, 20, a Tuen Mun resident for 13 years, said she could not bear the explicit acts of the performers.
“They wear so little. There are online videos showing these uncles sticking cash into their bosoms as tips,” Lee said, referring to the elderly men in the park.
Lee’s friend added: “This is so bad. Young boys even imitate these uncles.”
After arriving at the park, the marchers became agitated when they saw the elderly fans of the dama. Protesters mocked them, waving red packets, which the uncles often gave to the performers.
A middle-aged man, surnamed Leung, said he saw nothing wrong with giving money.
“This is like running a restaurant. You like it, you pay for the food. What’s the problem?” he said angrily. “If it was illegal, the government would have taken action already.”
Another middle-aged man, surnamed Ng, said the performances usually only ran from 3pm to 6pm. “It’s only three hours. I live next to the park. I don’t feel there is a problem,” he said, adding there were usually only around 10 performers.
In the park, protesters ran to the public toilet near the zone because word went round that a dama was hiding inside. Police then suspended use of the toilet and posted a dozen officers on guard outside. At least four policewomen were also inside.
“Come out! Perform!” protesters, some waving cash, shouted to the women.
“The estimated number for today’s rally was around 200, but you can see the actual number far exceeded that,” Mo said. “You can tell how angry the residents are.”
At 6.30pm, a woman inside the toilet was eventually escorted away by dozens of police and got into a private car.
The department said over the past six months, it had received 342 complaints against music performances in Tuen Mun Park, with 80 per cent of them involving noise nuisance. The rest involved receiving rewards and indecent behaviour.
At about 6pm, around 200 protesters gathered outside Tuen Mun Police Station on Pui To Road after the park protest ended. Some said they were dissatisfied officers took away a man after he allegedly had a dispute with protesters in the park.
The crowd occupied the road and blocked traffic but dispersed at 9.30pm.
Additional reporting by Christy Leung
