Emergency services were called into the Legislative Council’s chamber on Thursday after an opposition lawmaker dropped a container of foul-smelling rotten plants on the second day of a debate over the controversial national anthem bill. Pro-establishment lawmaker Chan Hoi-yan was taken to hospital after she said the smell had made her sick. Lawmakers later approved the national anthem bill as the second reading concluded on Thursday. The bill is still subject to a third reading, which will take place next Wednesday, and a final vote on June 4. Democratic Party legislator Ted Hui Chi-fung carried the container towards Legco president Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, dropping it and kicking it towards Leung after he was grabbed by security guards who then took him away. The meeting was suspended at about 11am. Security guards covered the container, and used air purifying spray in the chamber, before cleaners were called in to remove it and the contents that spilled out. A squad of firefighters, as well as a police officer, were called in separately to check if the chamber remained safe for those inside. On Wednesday, lawmakers began debating a controversial national anthem bill which will criminalise insults to March of the Volunteers . The opposition unsuccessfully attempted to stall proceedings, while protests broke out across the city and more than 360 people were arrested for taking part in unauthorised assemblies. As the debate was about to resume at 9am on Thursday, Legco president Leung ordered opposition lawmaker Eddie Chu Hoi-dick to leave the chamber for displaying a placard saying “Starry Lee Wai-king is the best chairwoman”. Hong Kong’s new anthem law: what you can and cannot do Lee, as chairwoman of the House Committee, is Leung’s deputy. She also chairs the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, the city’s largest pro-establishment party. Leung said Chu was seeking to mock Lee. The meeting was suspended for about an hour as Chu refused to leave. Soon after the meeting resumed about 10am, opposition lawmaker Raymond Chan Chi-chuen was also ordered to leave the chamber for protesting against Leung’s ruling. As the meeting started again about 11am, Hui ran towards Leung with the container and threw it in the president’s direction when he was stopped by security guards. Leung then suspended the meeting for the third time as a semi-solid substance, light brown in colour, spilled from the container and emitted a strongly unpleasant smell. Outside the chamber, Hui said he used a container of rotten plants to protest against Leung, as the president had limited the room for pan-democrats to speak up for the people against the national anthem bill. “What has gone rotten is our ‘one country, two systems’, our rule of law, our Hong Kong values. I want to give Andrew Leung and the pro-establishment camp a taste of it,” he said. On Wednesday afternoon, police and fire services were also called into the Legco complex after receiving a report about a suspicious smell on the ninth floor of the building. ‘Hongkongers should not worry about law enforcement by mainland agencies’ Hui, whose office is in Room 913, told officers at the time the smell was from a rotten plant in his office, and that he had thrown it away. Speaking outside the legislature on Thursday, acting divisional commander Yeung Kai-wang of the fire service said Hui’s container had contained mud, but further investigation was needed to figure out exactly what it was. Yeung said carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulphide, which has the characteristic odour of rotten eggs, were detected in the chamber but the amounts were below a level considered harmful. “When inhaled in large amounts, the relevant substances can affect people’s respiratory system,” Yeung said. Liauw Ka-kei, the police’s deputy district commander, did not rule out arrests over the incident. “We will conduct a follow-up investigation, to check whether there is any crime element within the whole incident,” Liauw said. “If there are any crime elements … police will definitely take resolute enforcement action.” The case was listed as a request for police assistance, he said, adding that a Legco security guard who felt unwell after smelling the container’s contents was sent to hospital. The Legco president said he was disappointed with Hui’s behaviour. “Not only was Legco’s reputation affected, but also the public’s expectations of the council,” Leung said. He said the disruption had cost seven hours of lawmakers’ time, adding that he would stick to his plan to put the bill to the vote on June 4. The meeting resumed about 4pm and ended around 7pm. Lawmakers will meet again next Wednesday to continue the debate. Help us understand what you are interested in so that we can improve SCMP and provide a better experience for you. We would like to invite you to take this five-minute survey on how you engage with SCMP and the news.