Face Mask Law Needed As City Is In Danger: Govt

A lawyer for the government told the High Court on Friday that it was “appropriate and necessary” to bring in an anti-mask law as the city is in danger and young people who are vulnerable and easily persuaded are being “allured to committing crime”.

Presenting the government's side against a challenge mounted by 24 opposition lawmakers against the new law, Senior Counsel Benjamin Yu said that it's common knowledge that people's actions would be emboldened if they could hide their identity with a facial covering and could avoid facing any legal consequences.

He said the fact is that 28 out of over 130 protests over recent months ended up turning violent. That’s a high number and “even one is too many”, said Yu.

He said the anti-mask law is not about giving police more power, but it’s to help society return to order. He said a peaceful society is essential to the public in exercising their freedom to peaceful rally.

Yu also parried away an allegation raised by the lawmakers that invoking the emergency ordinance gave Chief Executive Carrie Lam unlimited power to enact any law she sees fit.

The senior counsel said the Basic Law doesn’t “prohibit Legco from authorising the CE to make laws in times of emergency or public danger”.

He added that the Emergency Regulations Ordinance has existed since well before the city’s handover in 1997 and said it has continued to be part of local laws because it doesn’t contravene the Basic Law.

Judges Godfrey Lam and Anderson Chow said they will hand down their decision later, but did not set any date.