Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

At least 77 anti-mask law arrests amid Hong Kong’s ‘escalating vandalism’

Police used 367 rounds of tear gas, 106 rubber bullets, 15 beanbag rounds and 30 sponge bullets in clashes over long weekend.
At least 77 people have been arrested over Hong Kong’s newly imposed anti-mask law since it came into force three days ago, with police saying the long weekend of unrest triggered by the legislation was marked by a “sharp escalation in vandalism and property destruction”.

They were among 241 suspects, aged between 12 and 54, arrested during protests, amid a wider anti-government movement that has rocked the city for four months.

Acting chief superintendent Kelvin Kong Wing-cheung said police used 367 rounds of tear gas, 106 rubber bullets, 15 beanbag rounds and 30 sponge bullets in clashes from Friday to Monday. The force also recorded 213 cases of vandalism of shops, MTR facilities, public properties and buildings, as well as 80 reports of damage to traffic lights.

Among those arrested over the long weekend was a pregnant woman, 19, detained over unlawful assembly and criminal damage at Siu Hong MTR station in Tuen Mun on Monday night. She was still being held for questioning and had not been charged.

The latest arrests brought the total number of suspects caught since the political crisis erupted in June to 2,363. Among them, at least 408 have been charged.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor invoked the colonial-era Emergency Regulations Ordinance last Friday to enact the mask ban at illegal or authorised rallies, in a bid to curb the social unrest sparked by the now-withdrawn extradition bill.

A violation of the anti-mask law can lead to a maximum fine of HK$25,000 (US$3,200), and one year in prison. Under the regulation, an officer may stop and require any person in public to remove his or her mask – the maximum penalty for failure to comply with this demand is a fine of HK$10,000 (US$1,300) and six months in jail.

Of the 77 people arrested over the mask ban, 74 were held for “using facial covering at an unlawful assembly”, and three for “failing to comply with requirement to remove facial covering in a public place”.

Among the 77, 16 of them were charged – 14 on Tuesday and two on Monday. Those charged on Tuesday also faced a second joint count of rioting with 12 other defendants. The pair in court on Monday were also charged with unlawful assembly.

At a press conference on Tuesday, police were bombarded with questions on their enforcement of the anti-mask law, after reports emerged of officers forcibly removing a journalist’s mask on Sunday following the firing of tear gas.

The anti-mask law carries a list of exemptions, such as for health, religious, professional or employment reasons.

At a press conference on Tuesday, police were bombarded with questions on their enforcement of the anti-mask law, after reports emerged of officers forcibly removing a journalist’s mask on Sunday following the firing of tear gas.

The anti-mask law carries a list of exemptions, such as for health, religious, professional or employment reasons.

Senior Superintendent Ng Cheuk-hang said the law was only enacted three days ago, and officers needed more time to understand its operation, but he did not apologise to the journalist involved or make any pledge that similar incidents would not happen again.

“In an ideal world, there would be a training day for officers, but there is no time. We have also sent guidelines to frontline officers explaining the operation,” Ng said.

He added that the law did not specify journalists would be exempted under the work-related category, contradicting comments by Secretary for Security John Lee Ka-chiu on Friday, who said reporters in the field would be protected.

Meanwhile, police also announced a new multi-platform reporting hotline to deal with an “escalating level of violence”.
Channels available include phone calls, WeChat and Line messaging, but not on WhatsApp after the social media company suspended the force’s account, accusing it of violating service terms last month, and saying its platform was intended for private use and not bulk messaging.

“The channel will be dedicated solely for the reporting of crimes related to protest violence. We will not share any information received with third parties, and will destroy these after a certain period of time,” Senior Superintendent Chan Chi-yung of the force’s information systems wing said.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
×