Leader of Demosisto was barred from entering trashed Legco building but says assistants for pro-Beijing councillors were let in
Democracy activist Joshua Wong Chi-fung spoke to media on Tuesday near the Legislative Council Complex has been closed down after being trashed by anti-extradition bill protesters on Monday. Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong Chi-fung slammed the police for applying “double standards” to assistants for lawmakers from different political camps, after he was denied access to the Legislative Council Complex which has been under police lockdown since this morning.
Wong, who is a legislative assistant for pro-democracy lawmaker Au Nok-hin of the Hong Kong Island constituency, claimed he was stopped by police from entering the building to retrieve his computer and other personal belongings earlier today. He said in contrast to his treatment, assistants for pro-Beijing councillors such as Junius Ho Kwan-yiu could get into the building smoothly.
“This shows the suppression [from the government] and how the police are just serving the interest of the government and the pro-Beijing camp,” said the 22-year-old.
Hong Kong extradition law: What happened at Legco on July 1 when protesters stormed the complex?
Legco is set to be out of action for the next two weeks after being trashed on Monday by protesters who are against the proposed extradition bill. The council was left with broken glass doors and windows at the members entrance and public entrance, as well as a vandalised main chamber. Police officers are guarding the entrances, while the protest zone has been blocked off with police tape.
Regarding the condemnation of these actions by the government and some members of the public, Wong said he does not agree that what the protesters did was violent. He said his understanding of the word ‘violence’ refers to physical assault on another person, and that none of the protesters who broke into the Legco building tried to assault the police physically.
“Their only goal was to get inside the Legco chamber. Of course, it is hard to get the support of all people, or to have them accept every behavior of the activists during the storming action,” said Wong. “But the bill has not been withdrawn yet, that’s the problem.”