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Hong Kong protesters give up at & # 39; National Calamity Hardware Store & # 39;




HONG KONG (Reuters) – While months of government protests have taken a toll on Hong Kong businesses, from luxury retailers to hotels and restaurants, Keita Lee's pop-up stall is booming.

Keita Lee, 33, owner of "National Calamity Hardware Store" exhibits at her store in Hong Kong, China, September 27, 2019. REUTERS / Athit Perawongmetha

Since demonstrations escalated in mid-June, Lee, 33, has run what he has called the National Calamity Hardware Store, and sold necessities for protest – hard hats, gas masks and goggles – near hot spots.

Partial contractor, part activist, he has signed short-term leases on storefronts in at least four districts, and shifted to avoid police and enemy landlords.

"I've never had a business like this before. It's insane," Lee told Reuters in his latest store in the gritty district of Cheung Sha Wan on the Kowloon Peninsula.

The Hong Kong government invoked the colonial emergency laws last week , including the ban on face masks, which have been widely used by protesters to conceal their identity. Lee rejected any suggestion the regulation would harm his business, saying that several protesters had come to his booth.

"Anti-mask law legislation only intensifies the social conflict, "he said.

" If the government can invoke emergency powers to pass certain laws or regulations, they can use it to pass other unreasonable bills inexcusably. "

HONG KONG HAS A FREE MARKET & # 39;

Protests against a now withdrawn extradition law that would have allowed suspects to be sent to mainland China for trial have evolved into a wider fight for greater democracy, and threw Hong Kong into the biggest political crisis of decades.

Most weekends, black-clad protesters roam the streets in demonstrations that have increasingly fallen into violent clashes with police, often firing tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds.

Protective equipment has become more difficult to find, since the Chinese government restricted the sale and export of security equipment to Hong Kong. This has made Lee even more determined to continue the business.

“Hong Kong has a free market. I run the business without breaking any law. We only announce our pop-up address an hour before we open the booth, so it's almost impossible for the police to get a case order on time, he says.

Lee states that his booth has been a constant target of police and that he has been arrested twice.

Police said in a statement to Reuters that a 33-year-old surname Lee and five others had been arrested Sept. 30 on charges including possession of offensive weapons and solicitation and participation in unauthorized assemblies. They were released on bail.

Lee dismisses the charges.

He says it is a constant challenge to find new suppliers in Southeast Asia, Taiwan and the United States.

"FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM"

Lee's political views go further than any other protesters opposed what they see as the erosion of Hong Kong's autonomy and the freedoms of China's Communist Party leaders. He supports open independence for the territory, a taboo topic for Beijing.

"Independence cannot be accomplished in our generation. It will take some generations," he said.

Although Lee no longer protests on the front lines, he is sympathetic to the young activists and often offers discounts to hard-up customers.

"If we want to rebel against the authoritarian regime, we should do so without thinking about the price. For the most part, I will apply for bankruptcy. If we lose this fight, we will lose some generational freedom," he said.

Slideshow (3 Images)

Lee says that his work keeps him busy at all times and that he catches a few hours of sleep when he can.

"The only regret I have is that I don't have time to spend with my seven-year-old daughter and five-year-old son, "he said.

" I hope someday they will understand that I am fighting for their freedom. "

Reporting by Jessie Pang ; Editing by James Pomfret, John Ruwitch and Karishma Singh

Our Standards: [19659029] The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.



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