Court suspends ruling on Hong Kong mask ban for seven days

Hong Kong police can continue enforcing a ban on demonstrators wearing masks for the next seven days, the High Court said Friday, to allow the government time to appeal an earlier ruling that the action was unconstitutional.

The ban was imposed in October by the city's pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam under colonial-era emergency powers not used in more than half a century.

It was aimed at quelling months of unrest sparked by concerns that Beijing was tightening its grip on Hong Kong,



but instead triggered fresh protests by demonstrators who said the ban merely underlined their fears.

The High Court earlier this week had ruled the ban to be unlawful, but the government asked for a suspension of the ruling.

Protesters have used face masks to avoid identification and respirators to protect themselves from tear gas.

The new law threatens anyone wearing masks at protests with up to a year in prison.