Action star Jackie Chan sparks controversy, says 'China should restrict protests in Hong Kong'

Hollywood superstar Jackie Chan has sparked controversy after he suggested that the Chinese government should regulate 'what can and cannot be protested' in his hometown, Hong Kong.

The action star lamented that Hong Kong has become a city of protest, where people "scold China, scold the leaders, scold anything, protest against anything."

"There should be regulations on what can and cannot be protested," the New York Daily News quoted Chan, as saying, not specifying what kinds of protests he believes should be restricted.

According to the report, the star of movies such as "Rush Hour" and "Rumble in the Bronx" reportedly triggered a backlash three years ago with similar comments on the need to restrict freedom in his hometown.

A former British colony, Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997 and is now a semiautonomous region, whose residents are fiercely proud of the Western-style civil liberties they enjoy that are not seen on the mainland, including the freedom to demonstrate, the report said.

Chan further comments on how different Hong Kong was before 1997 added to the controversy.

"Hong Kong in the British era was not so free. Did you hear so much gossipy news? Were there so many taking to the streets? No. Very well behaved. The British badly repressed us. We do not like repression. We like freedom. But you cannot do whatever you want," he said.

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