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Hong Kong protesters’ damage to Legislative Council building could exceed HK$10 million and take weeks to repair
- Council president inspects vandalised chamber, saying: ‘Many things are lost; we are still counting’
- Portraits of two former Legco presidents – Rita Fan and Jasper Tsang – still missing
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In a matter of hours, Hong Kong’s legislative headquarters was smashed open, ransacked and defaced with graffiti in a shocking takeover by young protesters on Monday that could cost “more than HK$10 million” and take weeks to repair.
A day after a mob stormed the city’s political centre – crashing through glass panels and trashing security systems – the Legislative Council building was in disarray and sealed off by police.
The grounds were strewn with barricades, helmets, umbrellas, placards, broken glass and rubbish. Most of its metal fence was stripped away.
Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, president of the Legislative Council, on Tuesday expressed sorrow and deep regret over the incident. He said the Legco building, built in 2011, was vandalised during the chaos and its entrance, meeting facilities, and security system had been damaged.
After inspecting the building for about an hour, Leung said a full restoration would take a long time.
He said it was not realistic for the council to hold meetings in rooms that were undamaged, or at other venues.
Naomi worked as a reporter at the South China Morning Post from 2015 to 2019. She has previously written for CNN International in Hong Kong, and Mizzima news in Myanmar.
Alvin Lum is an award-winning political journalist specialising in Hong Kong politics and the city's justice system. Previously, he worked for the Hong Kong Economic Journal and Citizen News.
Su Xinqi covered Hong Kong-mainland relational issues for the Post's Hong Kong desk until 2019. She has previously worked for Reuters and Initium Media in a variety of roles including researcher, content producer, and news editor.
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