A Legco debate over changes to the legislature’s rules of procedure was halted today after the pro-democracy camp staged a protest against the measures, which led to a live-streamed squabble over a sign.
The silliness started, as it usually does, in the chamber, as lawmakers began debating a controversial proposal by the pro-Beijing camp to alter the parliament’s procedures to curb filibustering by their pan-dem rivals.
The proposal, which was first raised months ago, 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.
It involves 49 amendments, which LegCo President Andrew Leung today ruled would be dealt with in a combined debate, with 15 minutes allocated for each lawmaker to speak.
Democrats responded with, well, more filibustering — arguing with Leung for over an hour by continuously standing up to make requests, including appeals for more speaking time.
The ball was then passed to pro-Beijing lawmaker Paul Tse, whose speech reading the resolution’s content drew chants of disapproval from the pan-dem camp.
Standing up, the pan-dems waved placards reading: “Today the rules of procedure will be revised, tomorrow there will be Article 23 legislation” — a reference to a controversial national security law pushed by Beijing to target acts of subversion against the central government.
The meeting, which began at 11am, was suspended an hour later and pro-Beijing lawmakers decided to stream the spectacle to viewers.
After starting the live stream, Holden Chow, from the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, handed things over to her DAB colleague Elizabeth Quat, whose piece to camera went smoothly, for a little while.
Creeping up from behind, the Democratic Party’s Dr Helena Wong thought she’d video-bomb the stream and hold aloft one of the placards.
Despite Chow lambasting her for having “no manners”, Wong persisted, and can be seen on the clip bustling her way into the shot as her political rivals try to move away and grab the sign.
Alice Mak from the Federation of Trade Unions then can be seen entering the fray and trying to use her scarf to cover Wong’s placard.
“I don’t think Hongkongers are stupid enough to believe that a change to the rules of procedure will lead to a Article 23 legislation,” she can be heard saying in reference to the sign. “Not everyone is stupid like you lot.”
Paul Tse then has a go at prying the sign away. Wong isn’t happy, shouting: “Don’t touch my things” and then, all of a sudden, adding “Sexual harassment! Sexual harassment!”
Politics.
To see the encounter in full, here is the video:
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