Hong Kong Court Rules Face Mask Ban Unconstitutional

Hong Kong's High Court on Monday (Nov 18) ruled that an emergency law invoked by the government last month to ban protesters from wearing face masks is unconstitutional, Channel Asia News reports.

It said the law was "incompatible with the Basic Law", the mini-constitution under which Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

"The restrictions it imposes on fundamental rights... go further than is reasonably necessary... and therefore fail to meet the proportionality test," the court said, according to a press summary.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam on Oct 4 invoked a rarely used colonial-era law to ban protesters from wearing face masks, in a dramatic move intended to quell escalating violence in the city.

It was the first time the Emergency Regulations Ordinance has been invoked in 52 years.

During the six months of protests, face masks have become ubiquitous as demonstrators try to avoid being identified by police.