Ouster Move Leads To Chaos At Legco Panel Meeting

A meeting of Legco's House Committee ended in chaos on Friday after its chairwoman, Starry Lee, tried to throw out pro-democracy lawmaker Claudia Mo after a verbal clash.

The meeting began with opposition legislators criticising Lee for hastily arranging a special meeting on Saturday to discuss removing Democratic Party lawmaker James To from presiding over a bills committee that is to scrutinise the government's extradition proposal. The panel has so far been unable to elect a chairman after two meetings.

The pan-democrats said members were not consulted on the special meeting, with the Democratic Party's Helena Wong likening the chairwoman's performance to a "dictator".

But Lee, who heads the pro-Beijing DAB party, said as there were other meetings arranged for the following week, there was a need to move this special meeting to Saturday.

As the meeting continued, Mo left her seat to protest, describing Lee's approach as "despicable".

Lee took offence to this and ordered Mo to leave the room. But Mo refused and along with other opposition lawmakers started chanting slogans in protest and against Lee's DAB party.