Thousands Demand Junius Ho Lose JP Title

Thousands of people have signed a petition calling on the government to strip pro-Beijing lawmaker Junius Ho of his title as a Justice of the Peace.

Labour Party members, during a protest outside the government's headquarters in Admiralty, said they had collected 20,000 signatures supporting their call.

The party said media reports and video footage show that Ho greeted and congratulated a group of men wearing white t-shirts on the night of July 21, after they allegedly attacked residents in Yuen Long.

Party chairman Steven Kwok said Ho is unfit to hold the position as he incited others to use violence. He said Justices of the Peace should help the government to uphold peace, and reflect people's thinking to the government.

"But Junius Ho did not do so," he said. "He did many violent acts and violent expressions to the Hong Kong people, to the Hong Kong protesters."

Ho meanwhile has denied he threatened pro-democracy lawmaker Chu Hoi-dick in the days following the vicious assaults in Yuen Long.

Following the attacks, Ho's parents' tombstones were desecrated and his constituency offices were vandalised.

Ho had accused Chu of organising the attack on his parents' graves and demanded an apology.

He later also warned the Land Justice League lawmaker that he could choose one of two paths – one where he stays alive, and the other where he doesn't.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Ho said he was only trying to explain to Chu the meaning of the two paths, and that whoever carried out illegal acts should stop, or they'll have to face legal consequences.

Ho stressed that he is also a victim.

New Territories West lawmaker Chu said on Thursday that he has had multiple death threats made against him and his staff over the past week, and alleged that gangsters in the New Territories have put a price on his head.

Chu said he had been forced to leave his home and take precautions. He said these threats have stopped him from going to his constituency and are affecting his work as a lawmaker.