Hong Kong has seen various objects fallen or thrown from a height over the years by residents of high-rise buildings, and lately, it has been raining rice in Tseung Kwan O.
The latest case was reported on Sunday by a netizen walking along the sidewalk at Chung Ming Court after he was nearly struck on the head by a “rainfall of rice”.
Writing on Facebook, the netizen said he was almost hit by the rice near Catholic Ming Yuen Secondary School, presumably thrown out the window by nearby residents who wished to feed the pigeons, at 11.50 am that day.
“Don't people have better things to do?” The netizen wrote in anger.
Four photos were attached to the Facebook post, including two close-up photos depicting suspicious piles of rice that appear to have been thrown onto the road from a height.
Some other netizens suggested that the culprits are adopting this kind of new method to feed the pigeons as there is now a new feeding ban on feral pigeons on pain of heavier penalties that takes effect on August 1.
An amendment to the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance to expand the ban to cover feral pigeons was gazetted last year and lead to fines of up to HK$100,000 and a prison term of one year, or subject them to a fixed penalty of HK$5,000 if they were caught feeding feral pigeons on-the-spot.
