Chaos as Hong Kong lawmakers thwart leader’s annual address

A pro-democracy lawmaker, center, shouts a slogan as Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam delivers a speech at chamber of the Legislative Council in Hong Kong Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2019. Chanting pro-democracy lawmakers have interrupted the start of a speech that Lam was giving laying out her policies. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

HONG KONG — In chaotic scenes, furious pro-democracy lawmakers twice forced Hong Kong’s leader to stop delivering a speech laying out her policy objectives and then clamored for her to resign after she walked out of the legislature on Wednesday.

Carrie Lam’s inability to deliver her annual policy address marked a slap in the face for the embattled chief executive.

Lam had already started delivering the speech when chanting pro-democracy lawmakers forced an interruption. She left the Legislative Council chamber and then came back a few minutes later to try again, only to be interrupted one more time. Again, she left. One lawmaker tossed a placard as Lam was leaving.

At an impromptu news conference outside the chamber, the lawmakers then played a recording on a small loudspeaker that they said was the sound of police tear-gassing protesters and of protesters screaming.

“These are the voices of people screaming and they are just ordinary Hong Kong people,” said lawmaker Tanya Chan. “Please, please, please Mrs. Carrie Lam, don’t let us suffer any more.”

She and others called for Lam’s resignation. “This is the only way that we can have a good future,” said Chan.

Lam had been bracing for trouble in the chamber as her government battles protests that have gripped the semi-autonomous Chinese territory since June.