Hong Kong politicians ejected amid China anthem debate

Three pro-democracy politicians were ejected from Hong Kong’s legislative chamber on Thursday morning, disrupting the start of a second day of debate on a contentious bill that would criminalise insulting or abusing the Chinese national anthem.

The legislature’s president, Andrew Leung, suspended the meeting minutes after it began and ejected politician Eddie Chu for holding up a sarcastic placard that read “Best Chairperson, Starry Lee”.

Ms Lee was recently elected chair of a key committee that sent the anthem bill to the full legislature for consideration.

Her election, which the pro-democracy opposition contends was illegal, ended a months-long filibuster that had prevented the committee from acting on the bill.