Mao Zedong statue removed from illegally occupied slope on Mission Hill

A statue of Mao Zedong was cleared from a long-illegally occupied hillside slope in Shek Kip Mei’s Mission Hill on Tuesday morning, following a tense standoff the previous day between Lands Department officers and a woman who refused to comply with a government clearance order.

For years, portions of government land on the Mission Hill slopes have been unlawfully occupied and built upon without authorization.

The Lands Department had issued a clearance order requiring the occupier to stop the illegal use and remove the statue by Monday.

Yesterday, a woman claiming responsibility stood in front of the statue and refused to leave despite repeated persuasion from department staff. Negotiations failed, resulting in a confrontation.

According to residents, authorities removed the statue around 6am to 7am this morning.

Currently, various leisure amenities are placed at the hillside sitting-out area near Tong Yam Street and Berwick Street. 

Part of the land at the foothill near Tong Yam Street is enclosed with barbed wire fences. Notices on the fences state, “Construction Site—Unauthorized Persons Keep Out.”

The clearance operation for the illegally occupied land has been extended to March 4.

Another nearby slope on Mission Hill also carries a notice of unlawful occupation, with clearance required by the same March 4 deadline.

On that slope, a small hut constructed from bamboo, steel pipes, and canvas houses five mahjong tables and several chairs.