Chaos ensues at Legco as lawmakers are carried back to their seats

A Legco debate over changes to the legislature’s rules of procedure descended into chaos last night after the pro-democracy camp staged a protest in the middle of the chamber, with some lawmakers having to be physically carried back to their seats by security.

Lawmakers were debating a controversial proposal by the pro-establishment camp to alter the parliament’s procedures to curb filibustering by their pan-dem rivals. The proposal would make stalling controversial bills harder for the pro-democracy camp, which was weakened by the disqualification of six of its lawmakers this year over the oath-taking saga.

The debate began yesterday morning but was cut short after lawmakers stood up waving placards and started chanting, forcing Legco president Andrew Leung to suspend the proceedings at noon for about two and a half hours.

Things then came to a head yesterday evening when, according to Apple Daily, members of the pro-democracy camp got up and refused to return to their seats, and began banging their desks with books.

Leung, who repeatedly told lawmakers to return to their seats, was not happy.

“If you have a question you do not need to bang the table, this is not a zoo,” he said.

The pro-democracy side continued to disrupt proceedings. At one point all of them went to the middle of the chamber and stayed there, refusing to leave.

Leung, who suspended the debate multiple times, finally relented and resumed proceedings even though members of the pro-democracy camp were still sitting in the middle of the chamber.

Then the drama escalated, as lawmakers Ray Chan and Eddie Chu were carried back to their seats by Legco security (video below).

At one point Ted Hui from the Democratic Party can be seen being pushed to the ground by security as he tries to intervene.

https://youtu.be/lvQDyk0bjAc?t=2h24m9s

The meeting was finally adjourned at 7:50pm, and is set to continue on Wednesday, Dec 13.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Leung said he had to suspend the debate because it had proceeded “unsatisfactorily”, the SCMP reported.

He added that Legco security guards had been acting on his advice when they carried away some of the lawmakers back to their seats after they repeatedly ignored his warnings.

After the fracas, Chan took to Facebook to reassure people that he was ok, but his finger was swollen.