Hong Kong uses coronavirus rules to stop protests

Bloomberg

Hong Kong’s central district returned to relative normalcy this weekend, with crowds of revelers taking advantage of eased social distancing rules even as fresh pro-democracy protests flared across the city.
When it came to the activists, they aggressively enforced a coronavirus-related restriction on gatherings of more than eight people, with local media reporting the arrest and pepper-spraying of protesters. Officers restrained a large group of journalists and made a number of arrests at a protest in the dense Mong Kok neighbourhood on the Kowloon side of the city’s harbour.
Pro-democracy lawmakers said it was increasingly clear that the police have a double standard when it comes to enforcing the ban on large gatherings, and are using the remaining distancing restrictions to try and prevent the
return of anti-government demonstrations while largely allowing other groups to gather with impunity. The Hong Kong Police Force did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.
“It’s quite blatant that the police are selectively exercising their powers to use the ban of gatherings of eight people to suppress protests rather than to promote social distancing,” said opposition politician Fernando Cheung. “Many large congregations in front of shopping areas were tolerated, while congregations related to protests are quickly being declared illegal and people are ticketed or arrested. Such selective practice of law enforcement will only further anger Hong Kongers.”
The tumultuous weekend, which followed scuffles between lawmakers in the city’s Legislative Council, underscored how deep divisions and political instability remain key concerns for Hong Kong going into a key election for the body in September.
It could also fuel protesters’ concerns that social distancing measures enacted to contain Covid-19 will be used to keep them from gathering over the summer, after rallies all but disappeared amid the pandemic.
The government is attempting to get the city back to normal amid a deep recession fuelled by months of violent protests and the virus pandemic. Authorities were successful in deploying early distancing measures and containing the virus’s spread, and most restaurants remained open even as cities around the world shut down. They eased a ban on gatherings — with groups of eight people now allowed, up from four previously.
Despite leader Carrie Lam’s successes in containing the outbreak, the arrests in recent weeks of prominent pro-democracy figures has raised the ire of resurgent protesters. Beijing’s two main agencies overseeing Hong Kong have also argued for a greater role overseeing the city, while Lam and other pro-establishment politicians push for a controversial national security legislation and a law that would make it illegal to disrespect China’s national anthem — moves that would likely spark more unrest.
“Beijing continues to blame Hong Kongers for the political instability and economic damage,” prominent pro-democracy campaigner Joshua Wong tweeted.