Hong Kong: Thousands of defiant masked protesters streamed into Hong Kong streets on Friday after the city's embattled leader invoked rarely used emergency powers to ban masks at rallies in a hardening of the government's stance after four months of anti-government demonstrations. Challenging the ban set to take effect Saturday, protesters crammed streets, shouting "Hong Kong people, resist." Carrie Lam said at an afternoon news conference that the mask ban, imposed under a colonial-era Emergency Ordinance that was last used over half a century ago, targets violent protesters and rioters and "will be an effective deterrent to radical behaviour."

One-year jail for offenders

The ban makes the wearing of full or partial face coverings, including face paint, at public gatherings punishable by one year in jail. A six-month jail term could be imposed on people who refuse cop's order to remove a facemask. Lam said she would go to the legislature later to get legal backing for the rule. "We must save Hong Kong, the present Hong Kong and the future Hong Kong," she said. "We must stop the violence ... we can't just leave the situation to get worse and worse."