Political figures and more than 40 gather at bar after restriction kicks in

Hong Kong politicians have joined a big-group gathering at a bar last night after the government had ordered a two-week closure for bars and pubs.
A group of 40, including lawmaker Tanya Chan and convenor of the Hong Kong Small and Middle Restaurant Federation Gordon Lam Sui-wa, was seen meeting at Hands bar in Sham Shui Po at 11 pm last night, hours after the SAR government's ban on the drinking venues took effect. 
According to the latest ban, pubs and bars were asked to close from yesterday amid the drastic escalation of Covid-19 infection cases related to the Lan Kwai Fong's bars cluster. Last week, officials extended social-distancing laws which prohibit public gatherings of more than four people
The group was reportedly gathering for a discussion over political activities against the government's shutdown orders on bars and pubs.
Police officers were called to the scene after they received complaints about nuisance the group created during the gathering. 
 The gate of the bars was half-shut when police arrived for investigations at 11.45 pm. 
The group, allegedly breaking two of the emergency measures to deter the coronavirus outbreak, was asked to dispersed upon officers' arrivals.
Some were chatting and smoking without wearing their facial masks outside the bar when officers were conducting an inquiry into the group, and a boozy Chan was seen leaving the drinking venue by a taxi, as shown in videos that went viral online.
Chan replied in the early hours today that the gathering did not violate the new measures as the bar was not open at that time and she joined the conference as a legislator, meaning that the meeting could be exempted from the social-distancing restriction.
Anyone who breached the bar shutdown order under the Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance can be fined up to HK$50,000 or sentenced to six months in jail, while offenders violating the social-distancing law will be issued a fixed penalty of HK$2,000, or in the case of a formal prosecution, a higher fine of HK$25,000 or six months behind the bars.