HK: Calling mainlanders 'locusts' could land you in jail

Amid mounting tensions between Hong Kong residents and Chinese mainlanders, the city is considering making discrimination against mainlanders illegal.

Hong Kong's Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) announced Wednesday that it would start a three-month public consultation about extending the anti-discrimination law, in order to protect visitors and new immigrants coming from the Chinese mainland, among others.

The current law protects people against biases based on sex, family status, race and disability. The EOC wants it to also cover prejudices based on immigration and residency status.

If the legislation gets passed, Hong Kongers calling mainlanders "locusts," mainlanders calling Hong Kongers "Britain's minions," paying low wages to new immigrants from the mainland, or providing discounts only to mainland visitors, could all be illegal.

Public opinions will be collected until Oct 7. After that, the EOC will submit the report to the government around the middle of next year.