HONG KONG - Two opposition district councilors came under strong criticism for blatant discrimination by posting notices outside their offices that read "no 'blue ribbons' and dogs allowed."

Hong Kong's government supporters are known as “blue ribbons”.

The city’s equality watchdog Equal Opportunities Commission said on Tuesday it has received about 1,000 complaints from people who found those messages offensive.

The notices have drawn the ire of the city’s largest pro-establishment political party, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), which condemned the wording as "insulting and unacceptable"

The notices have drawn the ire of the city’s largest pro-establishment political party, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), which condemned the wording as "insulting and unacceptable."

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The two opposition District Council members, Lee Man-ho and Lao Ka-hang, both of Shum Shui Po, have posted notices outside their joint office, saying that “Our office does not provide services to blue ribbons” and “No blue ribbon and dogs allowed.” 

DAB’s lawmaker Vincent Cheng Wing-shun condemned the messages and demanded the two councilors to take down the notices and issue a public apology. Cheng is a former member of the Sham Shui Po District Council.

In a statement on Tuesday, Equal Opportunities Commission said the acts by the district councilors in question were “inappropriate”. However, it said that the wordings of the message do not constitute a breach of the Anti-discrimination Ordinance which applies only to discrimination based on gender, pregnancy, marital status, disability, family status and race.

EOC Chairperson Ricky Chu Man-kin reiterated that society expected public servants, including district councilors, to conduct themselves impeccably and that they should strive to serve all residents in their respective districts.

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Echoing Chu, Cheng noted that District Council members, as public officials, have a duty to serve all citizens in their constituency. It is unacceptable for them to selectively serve people from a particular political spectrum. 

By posting the messages, the two district councilors could have committed misconduct in public office for willfully neglecting or failing to perform their duty, said Cheng. 

Cheng said that the battle against the coronavirus outbreak was at a critical moment in Hong Kong, which required concerted efforts from people in all walks of life. District Council members should not exclude any group of people from seeking public assistance, or fuel social conflicts with inflammatory remarks.