Australian judge’s speech met by protest over his role in Hong Kong’s appeal court

Protesters highlight the plight of media figure Jimmy Lai as Hong Kong appeals judge Patrick Keane spoke at an event in Sydney. Photograph: Jessica Hromas/The Guardian

A speech by Australian judge Patrick Keane KC has been met by a vociferous protest over his continued presence on the bench of Hong Kong’s controversial court of final appeal.

A slew of foreign judges has quit the court, with one arguing the rule of law in Hong Kong has been “profoundly compromised” and that the city-state is “becoming a totalitarian state”.