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Hikers like these ones in Mount Parker, must all wear masks, no matter the weather
or the difficulty of the climb (file photo)
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Everyone who goes outdoors, even hikers in some remote areas
of the New Territories
This seems to be the message from the Hong Kong Police, who
disclosed today, Aug 18, that three hikers in Sai Kung were issued with penalty
tickets, each costing $2,000, for not wearing masks last Sunday, Aug 16.
The previous Sunday, two hikers in Tseung Kwan O were also
penalized for the same offence, while five others were fined for violating the rule
that provides that no more than two people can gather in public.
The moves were part of stricter police enforcement of social
distancing and other measures imposed to contain the spread of the virus.
The gathering ban and the requirement to wear masks in all
public areas are contained in Cap 599 of the Prevention and Control of Disease
Ordinance, which has just been extended for another week from tomorrow.
A police spokesman, however, said, that no similar operation
was conducted in the popular gathering places of foreign domestic helpers,
unlike the previous Sunday, when dozens of officers descended on Chater Road
and Statue Square in Central.
A total of nine Filipinos were issued penalty tickets in
Central that day for violating the gathering ban. A Pakistani was also
penalized for not wearing a mask.
The sweeping operation on Aug 9 came under heavy criticism
from migrant workers groups who called it discriminatory as it targeted only
FDHs and not locals, who could also be seen violating the gathering ban.
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| Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong Dream Love |
For his part, Labour Legislator Fernando Cheung said the police
operation did not make sense, as it involved about 50 officers going together
to the targeted areas to tell people not to gather in big groups.
Migrant support organizations also decried that officers told
them to “go home” at 5pm, and tried to drive them away from their meeting
places when they did not violate any law.
