Members of two pro-democracy parties marched to Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying’s residence on Monday afternoon, urging the government to drop its legal challenge to disqualify four democratically-elected legislators.
“Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung and Lau Siu-lai, two of the legislators facing the judicial review, were joined by activists from Demosistō and the League of Social Democrats in their march to Government House. Around 20 attended the rally, Apple Daily reported.
In a joint statement, both groups condemned Leung Chun-ying for continuing to use public funds to stir up a political struggle, even after he announced that he would not seek a second term as Chief Executive.
“Leung must withdraw the judicial review, in order to end this farce that insults Hong Kong’s electoral system,” they said.
Leung and the secretary for justice lodged a judicial review against the four lawmakers in December. They asked the High Court to disqualify them over the way in which they took oaths of office during October’s Legislative Council swearing-in session.
The four legislators are the independent lawmaker Lau, Leung Kwok-hung of the League of Social Democrats, Nathan Law Kwun-chung of Demosistō, and Edward Yiu Chung-yim who represents the architecture sector.
Lau first read her oath in slow motion, taking almost 10 minutes. Her oath was rejected by the Legislative Council president, but she retook it in November.
Yiu had added the phrase “for democracy and for Hong Kong’s sustainable development” as he took his oath. Law had allegedly changed the tone as he read out “People’s Republic of China” to make it sound like a question, whereas Leung had brought props to the stage and shouted slogans before and after reading his oath.
The hearing of the judicial review is scheduled for March 1, 2017.
