Lawmakers mull legislation to stop 'yellow economic circle'

Legislative Council’s security panel is mulling ways to stop the “yellow economic circle” from online bullying merchants and broadcasters.

Lawmaker Paul Tse Wai-chun said although violence has been stopped, the “yellow economic circle” – where pro-democracy supporters frequent “yellow shops” that support protesters and boycott “blue shops” that are pro-government – is still active.

“According to my understanding, many merchants or even broadcasters have been complaining that they were being smeared, while their advertisers or artists were victims of nuisances,” Tse said.

“They also complained that people are using unfair ways to affect their businesses. I hope to do something in the legislature, from the security point of view,” he added.

Lawmaker Maggie Chan Man-ki also voiced her concern over the progress of legislation to regulate donations and crowd-funding activities popular during the 2019 anti-fugitive bill movement.

Her comment came as Eastweek, The Standard’s sister publication, reported that an online platform “Charley Wong” has been urging its supporters not to spend money at merchants they regard as pro-government.

That includes exerting political pressure on companies which placed advertisements at local broadcaster Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB), whose news were slammed as biased by protesters.