CE's 'spoiled Child' Remark Irks HK Mothers

Tens of thousands of people have signed a petition started by a group of “Hong Kong mothers” protesting against Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s analogy likening herself and protesters of the extradition bill to a mother and her spoiled children.

Lam said in an exclusive interview with TVB on Wednesday that if she budged every time her son makes a demand, the child would be spoiled, and he would regret this in future, blaming her for not telling him what the right thing to do is.

But the petition said: "We are a group of mothers in Hong Kong, and we would definitely not use tear gas, potentially lethal rubber bullets and bag bean rounds on our own children, and we would not be able to stay unmoved if we see young people covered with blood after being bashed by police batons".

They were referring to the force used by police officers against protesters outside Legco on Wednesday, with more than 70 injured during the clashes.

More than 30,000 people had signed the petition, less than a day after it was launched online.

The women behind the move include barristers Linda Wong, Debora Poon, and Chinese University academics Eva Chan and Susanne Choi.

The statement also urges Lam, "as the head of the city and a servant to the people", to postpone or scrap the legal amendments in light of the strong opposition.