LAI YING-KITyingkit.lai@scmp.com
PUBLISHED : Monday, 28 September, 2015, 2:46pm
UPDATED : Monday, 28 September, 2015, 3:03pm
More than 3,500 people have signed up to join the protest on Facebook. Photo: SCMP Pictures
Musicians will press ahead with plans to protest at an MTR station to demand the right to take large instruments on trains, despite a pledge from the rail operator to review its rules on bulky items.
Mavis Lung, a Chinese percussion teacher who came up who launched the protest plan via a post on Facebook, said it was not clear that the review – announced on Friday amid an outcry over music students being ordered off trains – would result in a change of policy. The urged the MTR to exercise discretion and allow instruments onboard until the review was completed.
READ MORE: Change of tune as MTR reviews baggage rules
“Many students must still take the MTR to venues now,” Lung told Commercial Radio today. Calling off the event would be “difficult, as there have been no promises” from the railway operator.
A girl is stopped with a guzheng, or Chinese zither, in one of the cases that sparked the protest
Lung set up a Facebook page for the event, called “Let’s bring our musical instruments to take the MTR” after three music students were blocked from boarding trains because their instruments measured more than 130cm – the maximum allowed on trains. The MTR’s actions sparked an outcry across the musical community – including condemnation from the city’s leading professional orchestras.
Despite the MTR’s promise on Friday of a review, more than 3,500 people had signed up to attend Lung’s event, which has been set for Tai Wai MTR station on Saturday evening.
READ MORE: Guitar hero hailed for standing up to MTR staff who tried to silence him
Speaking on the same programme, MTR operations chief Francis Li Shing-kee said the company would heed the views of the community in its review, while assessing safety risks and balancing the needs of commuters carrying their belongings.
Lawmaker Wu Chi-wai agreed with Lam that it should use discretionary powers to allow instruments onboard for now. He suggested a designated area could be created outside of the rush hour for passengers with large musical instruments.
Li, however, said passengers should stick to the rules until the review was complete.
A passenger with oversized luggage is ordered out of Sheung Shui station. Photo: Edward Wong
“If, unfortunately, accidents happen after we open some standards or discretion rashly before the review is complete. … I think these safety issues are not what Hongkongers want to see,” Li said.
READ MORE: Musicians urged to join MTR protest
Meanwhile GoGoVan, a company that allows users to hail a van for hire, said it supported the musicians’ protest. It announced that it would offer free rides to transport large musical instruments for one day on Saturday. Users will have to book vehicles on its Facebook page two days in advance.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/1862025/still-banging-drum-hong-kong-musicians-press
