Hong Kong's opposition lawmakers are resigning en masse to protest the expulsion of four fellow pro-democracy legislators that Beijing deems secessionist.
The move comes after China's National People's Congress Standing Committee passed a resolution giving Hong Kong authorities the power to bypass local courts and summarily remove politicians seen as a threat to security. Four Hong Kong lawmakers who have supported the territory's pro-democracy movement — and were thus barred from running for reelection — were immediately unseated, as stipulated in the resolution.
"Today, we announce we will resign from our positions as our colleagues are being disqualified by the central government's ruthless move," Democratic Party chairman Wu Chi-wai said at a news conference.
In all, 15 remaining opposition lawmakers said they would step down in solidarity with their ousted colleagues — Alvin Yeung, Dennis Kwok, Kwok Ka-ki and Kenneth Leung. The four were removed from Hong Kong's Legislative Council, or Legco, for "endangering national security."
During the news conference, Wu characterized the walkout by the legislators as a "fight of democracy."
"[We] will never, ever give up," he said.
https://www.npr.org/2020/11/11/93378...ature-over-ous
Hong Kong pro democracy resignations
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