Hong Kong News
Nonpartisan, Noncommercial, unconstrained.
Saturday, Feb 22, 2025
Real, Diverse, Unbiased.
Easter frolics turn out to be not fine for 180
Easter weekend revelers coughed up more than HK$900,000 in fines from Covid rule defiers during the four-day Easter weekend.
That came from over 180 people being fined HK$5,000 in Sunny Bay, Sha Tin and country parks.
Lantau police said 36 people aged from 18 to 62 were fined for violating the two-person gathering cap and 71, aged 24 to 80, for not wearing masks.
Officers also issued 44 HK$320 tickets for illegally parking at Sunny Bay.
Sha Tin saw 58 tickets issued for health violations, with 37 of the offenders defying the gathering cap in Sha Tin Park, buildings in Fo Tan industrial area, Shing Mun River Promenade Garden and Chik Tai Lane Garden in Tai Wai.
The 21 others were not wearing masks near Sha Tin Central, Sha Tin Town Hall, Sha Tin Wet Market, as well as in Tai Wai and Ma On Shan.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department also stepped up inspections and enforcement in country parks in conjunction with police in popular hiking locations.
A spokesman said: "Officers took enforcement actions against 121 persons suspected to be involved in illegal camping or use of fire in country parks."
Sixteen tickets were handed out to people violating the gathering cap and mask wearing.
He called on people to continue to strictly observe anti-Covid rules in upcoming long Labour's Day and Buddha's birthday weekends.
"The public should stay away from crowded areas, comply with social-distancing measures, maintain personal and environmental hygiene, properly dispose of used masks and waste, and take their litter home to minimize the risk of spreading the virus in the community, and protect the environment," he said.
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department also prosecuted 34 restaurant operators for not wearing masks, not making sure customers did LeaveHomeSafe scans, not installing proper air purifiers and not keeping tables 1.5 meters apart.
The admonition came as photos on Facebook showing dozens of people, including the elderly and children, digging for clams on Starfish Bay beach in Ma On Shan, went viral, with many said to be there with their entire families.
The post drew online criticism, with some even calling it as an "ecological disaster."
"[Clam diggers] destroy the ecological balance and ruin the clean ocean," went one comment.
Another "saw three people carrying clams on a route 99 bus from Sai O. One of them even used a plastic bag with holes on it, wetting the whole area."
Some questioned if they dared to eat the clams after digging, while others thought they were overreacted, "Relax, Hongkongers. We already don't have much to do."
Lantau police said 36 people aged from 18 to 62 were fined for violating the two-person gathering cap and 71, aged 24 to 80, for not wearing masks.
Officers also issued 44 HK$320 tickets for illegally parking at Sunny Bay.
Sha Tin saw 58 tickets issued for health violations, with 37 of the offenders defying the gathering cap in Sha Tin Park, buildings in Fo Tan industrial area, Shing Mun River Promenade Garden and Chik Tai Lane Garden in Tai Wai.
The 21 others were not wearing masks near Sha Tin Central, Sha Tin Town Hall, Sha Tin Wet Market, as well as in Tai Wai and Ma On Shan.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department also stepped up inspections and enforcement in country parks in conjunction with police in popular hiking locations.
A spokesman said: "Officers took enforcement actions against 121 persons suspected to be involved in illegal camping or use of fire in country parks."
Sixteen tickets were handed out to people violating the gathering cap and mask wearing.
He called on people to continue to strictly observe anti-Covid rules in upcoming long Labour's Day and Buddha's birthday weekends.
"The public should stay away from crowded areas, comply with social-distancing measures, maintain personal and environmental hygiene, properly dispose of used masks and waste, and take their litter home to minimize the risk of spreading the virus in the community, and protect the environment," he said.
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department also prosecuted 34 restaurant operators for not wearing masks, not making sure customers did LeaveHomeSafe scans, not installing proper air purifiers and not keeping tables 1.5 meters apart.
The admonition came as photos on Facebook showing dozens of people, including the elderly and children, digging for clams on Starfish Bay beach in Ma On Shan, went viral, with many said to be there with their entire families.
The post drew online criticism, with some even calling it as an "ecological disaster."
"[Clam diggers] destroy the ecological balance and ruin the clean ocean," went one comment.
Another "saw three people carrying clams on a route 99 bus from Sai O. One of them even used a plastic bag with holes on it, wetting the whole area."
Some questioned if they dared to eat the clams after digging, while others thought they were overreacted, "Relax, Hongkongers. We already don't have much to do."
