Hong Kong braces for Halloween mask protest

Hong Kong democracy protesters planned to don Halloween masks lampooning the city’s pro-Beijing leaders yesterday evening, defying an emergency law that bans face coverings. Online forums used to organise the largely leaderless movement are encouraging supporters to descend on one of the city’s most popular party streets while police have said they will ramp up spot checks and searches.

The international finance hub has been upended by nearly five months of huge, often violent, pro-democracy protests in which participants routinely use masks to hide their identities and protect themselves from teargas and pepper spray.

Earlier this month city leader Carrie Lam invoked colonial-era legislation for the first time in more than fifty years to outlaw face coverings at rallies.

The move was seen as a watershed legal moment for the city since its 1997 return by Britain to China—but the ban has done little to stop the protests or dissuade people from wearing masks.

Hong Kong braces for Halloween mask protest

Hong Kong democracy protesters planned to don Halloween masks lampooning the citys pro-Beijing leaders yesterday evening, defying an emergency law that bans face coverings. Online forums used to organise the largely leaderless movement are encouraging supporters to descend on one of the citys most popular party streets while police have said they will ramp up spot checks and searches. The international finance hub has been upended by nearly five months of huge, often violent, pro-democracy protests in which participants routinely use masks to hide their identities and protect themselves from teargas and pepper spray. Earlier this month city leader Carrie Lam invoked colonial-era legislation for the first time in more than fifty years to outlaw face coverings at rallies. The move was seen as a watershed legal moment for the city since its 1997 return by Britain to Chinabut the ban has done little to stop the protests or dissuade people from wearing masks.