Pro-Beijing lawmaker Junius Ho has said he will suspend his horse, named Hong Kong Bet, from running in all races. The move came after the Hong Kong Jockey Club cancelled all races on Wednesday over security concerns, following protest calls against Ho, whose horse was scheduled to run that night.
Ho said in a statement that he was disappointed with the decision to cancel the races and the loss suffered by the horseracing industry and fans.
“After deliberations with two co-owners, for supporting the healthy development of horse racing for public benefit in Hong Kong, for the legal rights of horse racing fans, and for the sake of Hong Kong’s long term stability and calmness, we decided to halt Hong Kong Bet from participating in races until disturbances in Hong Kong have stopped,” he said.
“Hong Kong Bet is innocent, it is not a crime to love my country and love Hong Kong,” he said.
Ho attracted controversy after he shook hands with a group of people allegedly involved in the mob attacks in Yuen Long on July 21. His district offices have attracted different levels of protest over the past two months, including arson and vandalism.
Ho has also called for a city-wide movement this Saturday to “clean up” walls, apparently hinting at removing “Lennon Wall” message boards across the city.
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