Friday Violence Proves Anti-mask Law Justified: CE

The Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, said on Saturday the 'unprecedented violence' seen across Hong Kong on Friday night is the very reason why the government needed to impose the anti-mask law.

Speaking in a pre-recorded video address flanked by her principal officials, Lam said the radical action that demonstrators took on Friday shocked the entire society and left Hong Kong half-paralysed on Saturday.

She condemned the protesters who had launched widespread attacks on the railway system, and had vandalised government buildings and specific shops.

"The extreme actions done by masked rioters were shocking", she said.

She also slammed those who attacked people with different political views as well as police officers, including a plain clothes officer who fired a live shot and hurt a person when being surrounded in Yuen Long.

Lam said Hong Kong’s public safety is now at severe risk, adding that even the court has stood by the government’s decision to impose the anti-mask law in order to restore peace to society.

The embattled leader stressed the government will take “resolute” action to quell violence, and urged members of the public to say “no” to violence.