Beijing supporters in Hong Kong vow to protect national flag after anti-government protesters throw one into harbour twice in three days
- Tuen Mun district councillor co-organised one set of volunteer guards and says there are at least three groups
- Desecrating national flag illegal and punishable by a fine of US$6,383 and three years in jail
Pro-Beijing groups have vowed to protect the Chinese national flag in Hong Kong as Beijing mobilises its supporters in the city to counter anti-government protests.
Tuen Mun district councillor Leo Chan Manwell, who is a member of the Beijing-loyalist Federation of Trade Unions, has co-organised one set of volunteers and the 40-year-old said there were at least three groups of voluntary guards.
This came after the Chinese flag outside the Harbour City shopping centre in Tsim Sha Tsui was removed from a flagpole and thrown into the sea on Saturday, after tens of thousands of people defied a police ban and marched to the area following a rally in Tai Kok Tsui.
Chan said the first group of guards brought a Chinese flag with them, and raised it on Saturday night.
After the flag was removed at around 7pm on Monday and again thrown into the harbour, another group went there a few hours later with their own Chinese flag and raised it.