Pro-democracy politicians in Hong Kong have failed in their bid to have a ban on face masks being worn at protests overturned.
The ban, brought in by embattled chief executive Carrie Lam under emergency powers on Friday, but has had little effect so far.
Activists, many wearing masks, took to the streets in their thousands after the announcement in another night of violence in the territory.
Authorities closed the entire subway network after stations were targeted as protesters set fires, attacked Chinese-owned businesses and fought running battles with police.
A 14 – year-old boy was shot in the leg by police, the second teenage protester to be shot by officers in a week.
A group of pro-democracy politicians filed a legal challenge against the government use of the law, which says a facial covering is illegal if it prevents someone at an “unlawful assembly” or “public procession” being identified.
Anyone breaking the mask ban could be jailed for a year or fined.
But on Sunday, protesters assembling in Causeway Bay again defied the ban, wearing masks as they prepared to march.
Pro-democracy opposition politician Claudia Mo, who sits on the Legislative Council, said: “The government is getting more desperate. They’ll do anything to quash the opposition.
” They’re now introducing what I see as a weapon of mass destruction. They simply want to nuke Hong Kong. With this particular law in place, they can do anything.
“They can practically ban anyone, anything, anywhere in Hong Kong. The sweeping powers are simply unlimited.”
The lawmakers have lost their bid to place an interim injunction on the emergency law but they will bring a judicial review which will be heard later this month.
The reasons for the court’s decision will be announced on Tuesday.
Initially, the demonstrations were over a now-suspended bill that would allow criminal suspects in Hong Kong to be extradited to mainland China .
But broader concerns about the erosion of freedoms under the “one country, two systems” formula – enacted after Britain handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997 – have now come to the fore.
The protesters want democratic reforms and Ms Lam, the city’s Beijing-backed leader, to resign.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings