Protesters Rally, But In Step With Social Distancing

A dozen activists from the League of Social Democrats and the Labour Party staged a protest on Wednesday against the Chief Executive’s recent pay rise, by marching in groups of four and keeping a distance of 1.5 metres between groups.

They staged the protest despite getting an appeal from the police asking them not to march, with the force citing a ban on public gatherings of more than four people implemented due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The activists marched to the government's headquarters in fours, and brought with them a tape measure to make sure that they were 1.5 metres apart – as per the new regulations for gatherings.

The police kept an eye on the marchers as they proceeded from HSBC's headquarters to Government House, but officers did not stop them.

The protesters slammed the Chief Executive Carrie Lam over her recent pay hike and demanded that government pay 80 percent of wages to workers who have lost their jobs or have been badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

Labour Party chair Steven Kwok said it's most "politically idiotic" that Lam is getting an extra HK$120,000 a year at such difficult times, when many grassroots residents have already lost their jobs.

"It's shameless [for the CE]. When she donated a month's salary, she made a big show. Now she wants to take it back..... she's a hypocrite," said the league's vice chair, former lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung.

The two parties said that the subsidy for workers could be capped at HK$16,000 a month.

They also said companies that have been forced to suspend operations because of the government's anti-epidemic restrictions should also be given money to pay 80 percent of each employee's salary.

The two parties said they have been calling for help for workers since the Lunar New Year holiday in late January, but their pleas have fallen on deaf ears so far.