Any law on storm-chasing must balance freedom, safety: Hong Kong Bar Association

Any law penalising storm-chasing should strike a balance between personal freedoms and safety, the head of the Hong Kong Bar Association has said, with the well-being of children also a factor.

Bar Association chairman Jose-Antonio Maurellet, speaking in a televised interview on Sunday, said that the need for a law against such actions required societal consensus, and mens rea, or criminal intent, must be clearly defined.

“I hope that no matter how the problem is dealt with, we need to consider that, first, everyone has their own personal freedom. In life, there are a lot of choices that are personal and that people should have the freedom to make,” he said.

“Say you go learn how to box, of course there would be some risk, but you would not see people asking for it to be banned. So there needs to be a balance here. First, freedom of parents and individuals.

“Second – something that you mentioned that is also important – the safety of their children when they are involved. So we need to know how to balance both of these things.”

After dozens of Hong Kong residents ignored government warnings and gathered to watch the waves during Super Typhoon Ragasa last month, Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung pledged to review existing legislation addressing storm-chasing and consider enacting new laws.