HKSAR government officials present at a press conference to introduce anti-mask law on Friday. Photo: Chen Qingqing/GT

 

Hong Kong SAR chief executive Carrie Lam Friday invoked emergency powers to enact a law banning face masks at public assemblies. The law, which takes effect on Saturday, is expected to help quell months of anti-government violence and chaos in Hong Kong.

The new rule forbids people at illegal assemblies to hide their identity with masks and related articles. Any person who violates the law faces up to a year in jail and a fine of HK$25,000. The Ordinance comes with exceptions.While announcing the law to reporters, Lam said: "We must stop the violence."

It's not an easy decision to ban masks, but a necessary one. It's not to say Hong Kong is in a state of emergency, Lam told the press conference on Friday.  

Wang Jiang, an associate research fellow at the Institute of Law of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that the HKSAR government has a lot of measures under the Emergency Regulations Ordinance, and the Anti-Mask Act is the lightest one, which means the government has exercised restraint and there is no abuse of the emergency ordinance.