Chaos at Hong Kong’s Legislative Council as opposition lawmakers thrown out as pro-establishment bloc installs chairwoman on key committee
- Starry Lee re-elected as chairwoman of House Committee after 15 lawmakers are booted following clash with security guards
- Committee has been at a standstill for months as opposition tried to block passing of laws
Hong Kong’s pro-establishment lawmakers seized control of an influential legislative committee in a chaotic meeting on Monday punctuated by physical clashes as they reinstated one of their own as chairwoman, ending a deadlock that had sparked a row between Beijing and the opposition bloc.
Starry Lee Wai-king was re-elected to lead the powerful House Committee, after 15 opposition legislators were booted out for clashing with security guards protecting the man appointed to run proceedings.
Legislative Council president Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen said later that the council secretariat was filing a police report over injuries sustained by two security guards while doing their work, an outcome he described as regrettable.
“Some Members, several times, rushed towards Secretariat staff who were discharging their duties, and the confrontations resulted in the injury of security staff,” he said in a statement, which also rejected what he called “grossly unjust and unfair” accusations of partiality.
“The Secretariat has all along been upholding the principle of political neutrality ... I have no doubt that staff of the Secretariat will continue to serve the LegCo professionally.”
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The latest instalment of a saga that had dragged on for months came three days after Leung picked Chan Kin-por to ensure the election finally took place.