New Sha Tin council starts with a pro-govt walkout

New Sha Tin council starts with a pro-govt walkout

The new Sha Tin District Council held its first meeting on Friday with pro-democrats in charge for the first time and it was the turn of the pro-government councillors to walk out as proceedings started.



The only two pro-government members walked out when the council chair said they will start with a silent tribute to those who had died during the protests over the last seven months.



The pro-government councillors then walked out. The chair then announced they were remembering everyone, including a cleaning worker who died after getting hit by a brick allegedly thrown by an anti-government protester.



District officer Amy Chan stayed from the event saying it was a political action and so she decided not to join them.



Chan had come under fire from some newly elected district councillors again, who accused her of not communicating with them before the first council meeting.



Chan said in response that Shatin has 42 councillors, the highest number in Hong Kong, and it takes time for her team to respond to all of them. She also said she's been out of town recently.



Unlike most council meetings before, a large number of people had taken up the seats for the public to witness the historic start of the council which saw 40 of the 41 contested seats taken by pro-democracy candidates.