This archive report was first published on 19 November 2019.
Published on November 19, 2019, the ruling by Hong Kong's high court that the government's face mask ban was unconstitutional has sparked a fresh wave of tensions in the city.
The ban on face-covering was introduced in October by the city's unelected pro-Beijing leader, marking a significant moment in the city's history since its return to China in 1997.
However, Beijing has disputed the court's decision, with parliamentary spokesman Jian Tiewei stating that only the legislature had the right to rule on whether a law was in accordance with the Basic Law, the city's mini-constitution.
"No other institution has the right to make judgements or decisions," Jian said, according to a state media report.
Beijing's stance has been echoed by China's ambassador to Britain, Liu Xiaoming, who warned that the central government would not sit idly by if the situation in Hong Kong became uncontrollable.
"We have enough resolution and power to end the unrest," Liu said.
The protests in Hong Kong, which started in June as a peaceful condemnation of a now-shelved China extradition bill, have morphed into a confrontational action to defend the city's unique freedoms from perceived encroachment by Beijing.
