Hong Kong protests: mall orders children’s clothing store to take down statue glorifying movement
- Shoppers line up at Tsuen Wan store to buy items in show of support while posing for selfies
- But this could be creating problems for the mall’s management company, which is part of the New World conglomerate
A branch of Hong Kong children’s clothing brand Chickeeduck has become the focus of a new flare-up in the city after it was ordered to remove a protest statue from its store by a shopping centre management company that is part of the New World conglomerate.
The familiar statue – which depicts a gas-masked and helmeted, umbrella-holding protester – had been installed at the Chickeeduck’s Tsuen Wan store on Tuesday by its founder, Herbert Chow Siu-lung.
It marks the highest-profile support that a major local brand has shown the “yellow economic circle”, supporters of which advocate spending money in stores that back the anti-government protests, and boycotting those that do not.
A line of shoppers began to form outside the store on Wednesday afternoon, and once inside they showed off their purchases in selfies taken beside the statue, as dozens of police officers patrolled outside the mall.
Even for smaller landlords, few would like to see their tenants make headlines for political reasons
“Actually, I have not shopped at Chickeeduck before,” said one patron in his 20s from the neighbourhood.
