ONLINE
\nCentral
\nHong Kong leader Carrie Lam has been forced to suspend her annual address after being heckled in parliament.
\nOpposition lawmakers disrupted the Legislative Council session by shouting and projecting slogans behind her.
\nAfter a first interruption, the session resumed only to be interrupted again. It was then suspended – and Ms Lam delivered the address by video instead.
\nIt means the extradition bill – the trigger for months of protests – could not be withdrawn formally.
\nThe bill was suspended in July, but Wednesday\u2019s meeting was the first time the Legislative Council (Legco) had resumed since it was stormed by protesters in July, and was the first opportunity to withdraw the bill altogether.
\nBut as Chief Executive Lam was about to begin her speech, opposition lawmakers began shouting and climbing on tables.
\nThey also projected the words \u201cFive demands – not one less\u201d on the wall behind her. Since the protests began, they have widened from rallies against the bill to five key demands – including universal suffrage.
\nOpposition lawmaker Tanya Chan said Ms Lam was to blame for the Hong Kong\u2019s troubles. \u201cBoth her hands are soaked with blood,\u201d she said. \u201cWe hope Carrie Lam withdraws and quits. She has no governance ability. She is not suitable to be chief executive.\u201d
\nIt was the first time a Hong Kong chief executive had been unable to deliver a policy address in the chamber.
\nPro-establishment lawmakers condemned the interruption of the session – saying the address was important for Hong Kong\u2019s economic future.
\nAfter the assembly was suspended, a pre-recorded speech was made available on the Legco website instead.
\nIn the address, Ms Lam stressed her commitment to \u201cone country, two systems\u201d – the parallel political system introduced in Hong Kong after British rule ended – and said calls for Hong Kong independence would not be tolerated.
\nShe announced several housing and infrastructure policies, saying housing was the most urgent issue the city faces.
\nThe developments came just hours after Hong Kong protesters won a show of support from US lawmakers, who passed a bill aimed at upholding human rights in the city.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ONLINE Central Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has been forced to suspend her annual address after being heckled in parliament. Opposition lawmakers disrupted the Legislative Council session by shouting and projecting slogans behind her. After a first interruption, the session resumed only to be interrupted again. It was then suspended – and Ms Lam delivered […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-88068","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n