HK residents petition for tearing off rioters' 'masks'

Hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong residents have signed a petition, calling for the government to draft a bill against wearing of masks during demonstration, haiwainet.cn reported.

Violent protests have caused troubles and bloodshed in Hong Kong, according to Oriental Daily. However, many rioters have escaped punishment because they were hiding their identity behind masks.

A group of residents in Hong Kong called for a new law to ban wearing of masks during demonstrations. These appeals are based on the opinions of 90,000 residents, according to the report.

Innes Tang Tak-shing, chairman of PolitiHK Social Strategic, said on Thursday that nearly 100 people arrived at the Police Headquarters in Wan Chai District to announce their survey findings and made appeals.

He said those who participate in demonstrations or protests should undoubtedly show their faces, just like they are required to do as per law in many Western countries.

Tang said that those who live in such a civilized society as Hong Kong must take responsibility of their own actions.

He also suspected that rioters in Hong Kong have received support in the past two months - otherwise it would be difficult for them to be so well equipped with helmets, masks and other tools.

He demanded a thorough investigation into whether foreign anti-China organizations were supporting the rioters and criticized the lawmakers who were backing the protesters.

It has been reported that the demonstrators often violently attacked those who are against their opinions or who take pictures of them. Ta Kung Pao reported that when a female Hong Kong resident took out her cellphone on the subway a group of rioters surrounded her and were ready to beat the woman only because they suspected she was taking photos of them.

However, nobody knew about their real identities because their faces were hidden behind masks.