Hong Kong Tightens COVID Rules After a Rough Sunday
In a move that felt like a throwback to lockdown days, Hong Kong on Sunday announced fresh restrictions: civil servants who aren’t essential will be staying home from the start of the week. The city’s star‑liner, the Financial Hub, has a new buzz on its daily case count – a record that sent brooms stowaway in office desks.
Democracy Rally Gets the Short End of the Stick
A pro‑democracy group tried to honor a one‑year anniversary of a train‑station attack by a mob in the morning, only to be shut down by police in riot gear. The reason? The policy already in place forbids gatherings larger than four people – a COVID rule that’s now proving to be a real party killer.
Carrie Lam’s Calm‑Down Moment
City leader Carrie Lam held a news conference, letting the city know about the spike: over 100 new cases in 24 hours, the highest since late January. The tally tips close to 2,000 patients, with 12 deaths to date. “The situation is very serious and there is no sign of it coming under control,” Lam warned, sounding part alarm, part “let’s just get through this.”
What’s Still Locked Down
- Amusement parks and gyms stay shut for another week.
- All 10 other venues that were on hold keep the pause.
- Restaurants only serve takeaway after 6 p.m. – no sit‑down meals in the evenings.
- Mandatory face masks in any indoor public area (yes, even you on a grocery run).
So if you’ve been dreaming of a spontaneous night out, you might have to keep the idea in the pocket. For the moment, Hong Kong looks like a medically regulated version of a treadmill: you keep walking, you get vaccinated, and you deal with the occasional surprise buzz of a new case.
Yuen Long anniversary
Yuen Long Protest Anniversary: Police Clamp Down
Rumor has it that the police, decked out in riot gear, pulled the plug on a planned event in Yuen Long’s north district. The pro‑democracy crowd was set to mark the anniversary of last year’s brutal attack— over 100 men armed with pipes and poles—which left 45 people injured.
What Went Down
- The Yuen Long incident was a crime‑filled chaos that shook Hong Kong’s financial hub, the biggest bone‑cruncher since the handover in 1997.
- At first, the police faced a nation‑wide backlash for their slow response and the fact that they didn’t immediately detain the assailants.
- Later on, the police nabbed several suspects linked to organised crime and triads; a playlist of arrests followed.
- Only a handful of activists dared to march along the anniversary route, chanting slogans in a nearby shopping mall instead of the original venue.
Why It Matters
In the tense aftermath of that violent night, the city’s political voices swelled, but the law enforcement response had to be swift or risk losing public trust. The crackdown on the event shows that the police are staying on high alert, but also that political protests continue to ripple through the streets.
Side Note
While this round focuses on politics, you can check out more local happenings—though the latest COVID‑19 updates aren’t the inbox’s main topic here—so feel free to swing by their website for health info if that’s your itch.
