National security law: plans for general strike in Hong Kong, class boycott fail to win enough support at unofficial ‘referendum’
- Organisers needed 60,000 votes to call for a citywide work strike, but only 8,943 ballots were cast
- Government condemns civil service union and others behind the vote
Opposition activists failed to garner enough support for a citywide strike over the proposed national security law for Hong Kong, even as the voting period of their unofficial “referendum” was extended.
That came after China’s top legislative body tabled the first draft of the controversial law.
The unofficial poll, which was organised by labour unions and not enforceable by law, closed at 9pm, an hour later than planned. Organisers needed 60,000 votes to call for a citywide work strike, but only 8,943 ballots were cast.
A class boycott for students would also not go ahead as organisers announced the poll failed to collect enough physical votes despite the overall ballot numbers, including those in electronic form, exceeding 10,000, one of its targets.
Union leaders bowed to thank those who took part and noted more people joined labour groups for the vote.
