Taipei church gathers gas masks in support of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/08/23
By: Micah McCartney, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As Hong Kong's police force employs increasingly brutal tactics to quash the protests that have gripped the city since June, including the use of tear gas indoors, gas masks have become a rare commodity, and some pro-democracy protesters are turning to Taiwan to meet the demand.

Police in Hong Kong have fired in excess of 1,800 tear gas canisters at protesters since the beginning of the city-wide demonstrations, which began in opposition to a bill that would permit extradition to China. With gas masks running out of stock in July and deliveries from China being halted to stymie protesters' efforts, sales of gas masks are surging in Taiwan.

According to one Taipei wholesaler, gas mask sales exceeded 3,000 in one month — a number three times greater than the total amount ordered in 2018. Another supplier in the city, Ceachain (世筌企業股份有限公司), has also seen a dramatic spike in mask sales, having already sold out of one brand, though other, equally effective masks are available as long as orders are made a day before pickup, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.

Hong Kongers in Taiwan are reportedly making purchases in person on behalf of friends involved in the pro-democracy movement, typically buying multiple sets of masks and accompanying air filters and filter pads, according to a staff member at Fusheng Chemicals and Instruments. "The police have not guaranteed they won't use [tear gas] on the August 31 protest, so it might be safer for us to buy them here to prepare in advance," the SMCP quoted one Hong Kong customer as saying.
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