MACAU (AFP) — More than 20 Hong Kong democracy campaigners, including nine legislators, were barred from entering Macau ahead of a march against a proposed national security law, according to one of the lawmakers.
The group was stopped by immigration officials and detained for half an hour, before being put on a ferry back to Hong Kong, Emily Lau, deputy chairwoman of the Democratic Party, told AFP.
"They told us we have broken Macau security law, but they could not be more specific," Lau said.
Among those prevented from entering was well-known activist and legislator "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung, chairman of the Democratic Party Albert Ho and former chief executive candidate Alan Leong.
Macau government spokeswoman Elena Au said she was not immediately able to comment.
Many of the activists had been allowed entry to the territory in the past few weeks, Lau said.
The pro-democrats were planning to take part in a march against a proposed national security law for the former Portuguese colony, which toughens the punishment for crimes such as treason and subversion.
A similar law was proposed in Hong Kong in 2003, but it met with huge public dissatisfaction including a rally attended by 500,000 people on worries it would restrict freedom of speech.
As a result, the Hong Kong government was forced to abandon its plans.
Lau said pro-democrats were worried that the bill was being introduced in Macau as a precursor to reintroducing it in Hong Kong.
"What sort of state is Macau in?" said Lau by telephone after she arrived back in Hong Kong.
"(The decision to bar the protestors from entering) reflects very poorly on the chief executive Edmund Ho and shows that the administration is so lacking in confidence... It is very sad."
Macau and Hong Kong were both handed back to China by their respective colonial powers in the 1990s and given separate constitutions to China that guarantee various freedoms not available on the mainland.
But the same mini-constitutions require the introduction of national security legislation.
Several hundred people took part in the march on Saturday in Macau, an AFP photographer at the scene said, which came on the ninth anniversary of the city's handover.
Macau has boomed in recent years on the back of an explosion in casino gambling, but in the past few months the growth has stuttered, putting pressure on the city's government amid growing concerns about corruption.
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