Hong Kong pro-democracy supporters fail to overturn government mask ban

Pro-democracy campaigners have failed in their court action to overturn the government’s ban on wearing face masks.

Mask prohibition was brought in on Friday by the embattled chief executive Carrie Lam under emergency powers not used since Hong Kong was under colonial rule – but it has so far had little effect.

City leader Lam said the ban was needed to stop the violence although there are suggestions it has simply triggered more demonstrations.

Police and protesters clashed again today as tens of thousands marched wearing face masks despite the ban.

Anti-government protesters in the Chinese city state have taken to covering their faces in recent weeks to hide their identities during violent demonstrations.

But making masks illegal has had the effect of turning them into a symbol of defiance.

Lawmaker Dennis Kwok said the High Court on Sunday refused to grant an injunction on the ban – with its rationale being published next week.

Campaigners gathered outside the court were heard shouting: ‘Wearing masks is not a crime.’

Later this month, a further application by 24 legislators against Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam’s use of emergency powers to impose the measure by circumventing the legislature will also be heard.

Sky News reported pro-democracy opposition politician Claudia Mo, who sits on the Legislative Council, as saying: ‘The government is getting more desperate. They’ll do anything to quash the opposition.

‘They’re now introducing what I see as a weapon of mass destruction. They simply want to nuke Hong Kong. With this particular law in place, they can do anything.

‘They can practically ban anyone, anything, anywhere in Hong Kong. The sweeping powers are simply unlimited.’

The court’s ruling comes one day after thousands staged marches and flashmob protests across the city on Saturday.

A boy aged 14 was shot in the leg by police during the clashes. He remains in a serious condition in hospital.

The city’s Beijing-backed administrators have pledged to stamp out the protests that have caused havoc in the financial hub since June.

That authorities are also considering even stricter measures such as curfews and delaying elections as well as introducing new emergency measures to give the state greater powers to stamp out civil disobedience.

The protests began in June against plans by the city’s administrators to pass a bill allowing people to be extradited to the mainland.

The mood initially calmed when authorities made the concession and withdrew the extradition bill but since then protests have morphed into calls for full democracy as well as over continued fears the bill could come back.