Chaos as opposition lawmakers try to scuttle special meeting

HONG KONG - Chaos broke out in the Legislative Council chamber less than an hour before a 2:30 pm special meeting of the House Committee on Friday called by incumbent chairperson Starry Lee Wai-king, with opposition members trying to scuttle the proceeding.

The opposition camp's tendency to filibuster has already led the House Committee to fail again in electing a new chairperson on Friday morning despite persistent efforts for nearly seven months.

It was the committee's 17th unsuccessful meeting held to elect a chairperson. The impasse has caused 14 bills and more than 20 subsidiary regulations to be put on hold, causing a semi-paralysis of LegCo.

Before the start of a special meeting in the afternoon, Lee, seated on the podium, was surrounded by a cordon of LegCo's security guards and pro-establishments members for her protection against possible assaults from the opposition.

At some point, opposition lawmakers tried to push away the security guards to approach Lee. They also tried to barricade the meeting room's entrance with chairs. Many placards were put up in front of opposition lawmakers' seats in protests against the proceeding.

The meeting was called on the legal advices of two independent senior counsels to push ahead with processing bills currently held up for over six months during the impasse in electing a chairperson.

The chaotic scene was reminiscent of a similar occasion on May 11 last year, when opposition lawmakers tried to block the passage of the now-withdrawn extradition law amendment bill.