bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

sponsorType

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Cannix Yau

Hong Kong has repaired most of the public amenities vandalised during the 2019 anti-government protests and also removed temporary fencing on six bridges after a review.
Acting secretary for transport and logistics Liu Chun-san said in a written reply to the Legislative Council on Wednesday that almost all the damage across the city had been fixed.
Authorities revealed in 2020 the bill for repairs for damage caused by protesters over the seven months of social unrest had hit HK$65 million (US$8.4 million).
MTR Corporation property was a frequent targets for vandals during the political turmoil, as they set fire to station entrances and smashed ticket machines.

The rail giant – in which the government is the majority shareholder – had to fork out HK$500 million for repairs.
There was damage to 85 heavy rail stations and 63 light rail stops, as well as 20 lifts or escalators and 1,320 rubbish bins.
The destruction across the city also included 740 sets of traffic lights, 22,000 square metres (236,800 sq ft) of paving blocks on footpaths, 60km (37 miles) of railings along walkways, 2,700 traffic bollards and 300 traffic signs.
About 700 highway structures, 1,500 lamp posts, bus stops and facilities at public transport interchanges were also targeted.
Liu said police and other departments would carry out regular reviews and fit or remove protective devices on facilities if the situation and public safety required action.
‘Plotters planned to use 2 bombs with 10kg in explosives to kill Hong Kong police’
“For example, the Transport Department installed protective devices for the traffic signal controllers and protective meshes for pedestrian traffic signal heads at some major road junctions,” he added.
“After coordination with the police force, as well as careful consideration and balancing of factors such as the installation and maintenance costs and the social conditions, the department has ceased the installation and removed the protective devices installed earlier.”
Liu added some temporary fencing on vehicle or pedestrian bridges, put up to stop people throwing missiles onto nearby roads to disrupt traffic, had been removed after “coordination with the police and taking into account various factors”.
They included those at Lion Rock Tunnel Road in Kowloon City, the Eastern Harbour Tunnel in Kwun Tong and Nam Cheong Street in Sham Shui Po.
The Highways Department installed temporary fencing at about 60 footbridges to protect the public over the period.
“[We] will continue to review the need for the relevant measure,” he said.
‘Plotters planned to use 2 bombs with 10kg in explosives to kill Hong Kong police’
Liu said authorities had also examined materials used for public works and strengthened their design to minimise the risk of damage. Changes included the replacement of some paving blocks with more durable concrete or the application of joint stabilising sealer and the reinforcement of railing connectors.
Suppliers have also been asked to use tougher, fire-resistant materials in the manufacture of new recycling bins.
Protesters often used railings as roadblocks and dug up paving bricks to use as missiles in clashes with police during the unrest, which started in June 2019.
The protests were sparked by an extradition bill, later withdrawn, but the campaign grew into a wider anti-government movement.
Yau Tsim Mong suffered the most damage among the city’s 18 districts during the unrest. The area had 121 sets of traffic lights damaged and 9,900 square metres of paving slabs dug up.


Skiers? Curlers? Hong Kong has them as it names its largest ever Asian Winter Games team

Hong Kong won’t be Asia’s sports event capital until it upgrades amateurish officials

Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Sports Park to host 10,000 during first trial of main stadium

Native English teachers can’t fix what ails Hong Kong education

Hong Kong sports

Most damage caused in 2019 Hong Kong protests repaired; protective fencing also removed from some bridges after review by authorities

A footbridge in Wan Chai with safety fencing installed to stop missiles being thrown from it. Photo: Sam Tsang

Ticket machines smashed at Mong Kok MTR station during the 2019 social unrest. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Hong Kong student jailed for laundering HK$600,000 from fundraising platform used to help arrested protesters

The Spark Alliance HK Facebook page, which can still be found online. Photo: Handout

A university student was sentenced to 16 months in jail at the District Court for money laundering. Photo: Nora Tam

Hong Kong protester jailed for 4 years for rioting, perverting course of justice after skipping bail on charges related to 2019 unrest

About 200 black-clad demonstrators had hurled petrol bombs, bricks and glass bottles at the protest in Tsuen Wan. Photo: May Tse

Fung Ching-wah being escorted to District Court last year. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

Hong Kong man jailed for petrol bomb offences during 2019 social unrest and trying to flee to Taiwan in boat

Tang Kai-yin, who has been jailed for 46 months, is escorted to court for an earlier appearance on charges of making petrol bombs and attempting to avoid justice by fleeing to Taiwan. Photo: Elson Li

The 12 people from Hong Kong leave a Shenzhen court in 2020 after being caught by mainland Chinese coastguards attempting to escape to Taiwan. Photo: Agence France-Presse

News

Hong Kong

Society

Acting secretary for transport and logistics Liu Chun-san says most vandalised amenities, which had HK$65 million repair bill, now fixed
Protective fencing designed to stop missiles being thrown off them removed from six bridges


Acting secretary for transport and logistics Liu Chun-san says most vandalised amenities, which had HK$65 million repair bill, now fixed.


Most damage caused in 2019 Hong Kong protests repaired; protective fencing also removed from some bridges after review by authorities

Acting secretary for transport and logistics Liu Chun-san says most vandalised amenities, which had HK$65 million repair bill, now fixed Protective fencing designed to stop missiles being thrown off them removed from six bridges

Acting secretary for transport and logistics Liu Chun-san says most vandalised amenities, which had HK$65 million repair bill, now fixed

Protective fencing designed to stop missiles being thrown off them removed from six bridges