HONG KONG — Hong Kong is braced for another day of street demonstrations on Wednesday as the city legislature debates a controversial bill that would punish behavior disrespectful to China’s national anthem.
Protesters have called for early-morning actions to paralyze traffic and block roads near the Legislative Council in a bid to interrupt the Legco meeting scheduled for 11 am.
Meanwhile, students from dozens of secondary schools have vowed to boycott classes and rally outside the legislature.
Local media reported that at least 3,000 riot police officers would be ready to deal with the “any potential flare-ups.” Main roads surrounding the Legco complex have been fenced off by water-filled barriers since Tuesday morning.
Political tensions in the former British colony have intensified in recent days after Beijing announced plans to enact a national security law for Hong Kong during its annual parliamentary session, bypassing the city’s lawmaking body.
Thousands of people protested against the security law on Sunday in the first large-scale demonstration since the coronavirus outbreak began. Police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse the crowd. More than 200 people were arrested on charges of illegal assembly.
Under the anthem bill, people who “intentionally insult” China’s national anthem, “March of the Volunteers,” could face fines of up to 50,000 Hong Kong dollars ($6,450) and three years in prison.
The controversy dates back to 2015 when fans began booing the anthem frequently at local soccer matches following the city’s Occupy protests.
The protesters’ strategy on Wednesday is reminiscent of events a year ago, when tens of thousands of protesters occupied roads outside the legislature to halt a second reading of a since-withdrawn extradition bill, preventing pro-government lawmakers from entering the building.
The selection of members to Hong Kong’s legislature is designed in a way that favors pro-establishment groups. Pro-democracy advocates have demanded political reforms to allow all members of the Legislative Council, as well as the city’s leader, to be directly elected by the public.